//. r. 2./.
LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
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1921
)
MacEachen,
Roderi
ck
Aloysius .
Religion
ADacEacben's Course in TReUflfon
RELIGION
FIRST MANUAL
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ZlDacBacben's Course in IReltflton
RELIGION
FIRST MANUAL <
( 8 192]
V
BY
RODERICK MacEACHEN, D.D.
THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA
WITH A PREFACE
BY
Right Reverend Thomas J. Shahan, D.D.
BECTOB OF THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1921
All rights reserved
•fftlbtl ©bstat
ARTHUR J. SCANLAN, S.T.D.,
Censor Librorum.
Imprimatur
$ PATRICK J. HAYES, D.D.,
A rchbishop of New York,
October 19, 1920.
Copyright, 1919,
By RODERICK MaoEACHEN.
Copyright, 1921,
Bt THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.
Set up and electrotyped. Published January, I92r.
NortoooD $««B
J. S. Cushing Co. — Berwick & Smith Co.
Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.
PREFACE
By The Right Reverend Thomas J. Shahan, D.D., Rector
of The Catholic University of America
One of the most vital questions confronting us
to-day is that of religious instruction. The simple
teaching of other days will no longer serve the
needs of the present time. The complexity of
modern life and the spread of human knowledge
call for deeper and broader acquaintance with the
divine truths of Faith. Education has progressed
and expanded to meet the growing needs of society.
New methods and systems have been invented
to make secular teaching more effective. This
naturally calls for more effective religious teach-
ing. If our people are to withstand the distrac-
tions and temptations of modern life they must
be so trained in the knowledge and practice of
the Faith that religion will pervade their life and
all its activities. Too often religious instruction
has been reduced to a cold form of intellectualism.
It has been directed to the memory and intellect
alone. But this form of teaching has failed de-
plorably. Religion is more than a work of the
intellect. It is, as it were, a new form given to the
vi PREFACE
soul. Religion must lead to newness of life ; it
must make us new men ; it must pervade the
whole man.
This volume, I believe, presages a new era in
the teaching of religion. Built upon the solid
principles of pedagogy, it possesses a charm and
simplicity that surprise us. With this volume
in hand the teacher of religion can lead the little
ones joyfully to God. Here definitions, difficult
terminology, and memorizing have been dis-
carded. The author bases his system upon child
intuition and the natural religion implanted in
the heart of the child at creation. Here the child
is taught to think and to express his thoughts.
This is the soul of teaching. The teacher enters
into the child's own plane of experience, and
gently leads the child in its own progression of
thought to the great truths of religion. She
engages the children in conversation, and by
adroit questions and suggestions she directs their
thought to both the teaching and the practice of
religion.
We marvel at the wealth of detail at which the
author has been able to arrive. But children
love detail ; their interests lie in concrete things ;
their ideas are simple and direct. The method
here followed seems to draw the truth from the
PREFACE ] vii
soul of the child and then weave it into his little
life. The work reveals an intimate knowledge of
child life on the part of the author.
In this volume the divine truths of Faith are
reduced to their native simplicity. At every
page we feel the tenderness and warmth of divine
love. Here religion becomes for us an expression
of divine love. Establishing God in the mind and
heart of the child as our loving Heavenly Father,
the author makes every truth show forth God's
love and bounty.
While the volume is intended for the first
elementary course, it enters into the very essence
of religious knowledge and practice. Even the
treatment of divine grace is developed in all its
fullness.
I feel that this volume will prove a godsend to
many. It should make the teaching of religion a
joy and a consolation to many. With all my
heart I pray that God may bless this work, which
is patently a labor of love, and I implore Him
to bestow upon it the success which it so richly
deserves.
Thomas J. Shahan
Bishop of Germanicopolis
Rector of The Catholic University of America
Washington, D.C.
The Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, 1919-
CONTENTS
LESSON PAGH
Introductory — The Lord's Prater .... 1
1. God is Our Father 8
2. God Takes Care of Us 14
3. God is the Maker of All Things .... 21
4. God is Wonderful 27
5. The Blessed Trinity 32
6. The Three Divine Persons 38
7. The Angels 43
8. The Devils 50
9. Heaven 61
10. The Happiness of Heaven 68
11. Hell .74
12. The Ten Commandments 80
13. The First Commandment 86
14. The Second Commandment 95
15. The Third Commandment 102
16. The Fourth Commandment 108
17. The Fifth Commandment 115
18. The Sixth and Ninth Commandments . . . 121
19. The Seventh Commandment 127
20. The Eighth Commandment 132
21. The Tenth Commandment 137
22. Sin 143
23. Original Sin 149
24. The Birth of Christ 158
iz
x CONTENTS
LESSON PAGE
25. The Blessed Virgin Mary 164
26. The Crucifixion of Our Lord 173
27. Purgatory 182
28. The Resurrection of Our Lord .... 188
29. The Coming of the Holy Ghost .... 195
30. The Catholic Church 204
31. Divine Grace 215
32. The Sacrament of Baptism 222
33. The Sacrament of Confirmation .... 231
34. The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist . . . 241
35. The Mass 250
36. The Blessed Sacrament 259
37. Holy Communion 268
38. The Sacrament of Penance ..... 278
39. The Sacraments of Extreme Unction, Holy Orders,
and Matrimony 291
40. Judgment 303
INTRODUCTION
"Suffer the little children to come unto me,
and forbid them not ; for of such is the kingdom of
God." * Little children are naturally good and
religious. They have an inborn instinct for re-
ligion and the things of God. They love to learn
of God and His love and bounty for us.
The children are the lambs of God's flock.
With our divine Lord as with us they are the
objects of tenderest love. Their innocence and
simplicity appeal to our hearts. All easily they
win our love and affection.
It is a joy to be with the little ones, to love them
and be loved by them. Happy are the homes
which God has blessed with a chattering flock of
little ones. There is no earthly joy that can com-
pare with the joy of fatherhood and motherhood.
Parents are co-creators with God. Those three
in conjunction — God, father, and mother — bring
the little ones into the world. God then commits
them to the care of parents ; it is their portion to
feed and clothe them and to love them and raise
lSt Mark, 10, 14.
xii INTRODUCTION
them up to lives of virtue and honor. It is theirs
to teach them the sublime truths of Faith, teach
them to know, love, and serve God.
At its parent's knee the little one first learns to
lisp the sacred name of its Creator. From its
parents it learns the blessings that God's love has
brought to us. From their words and their lives
it learns the first great truths and practices of
religion. This is the Heaven-given mission of
parents.
They are privileged to prepare the immortal
souls of their little ones for eternity. For all
eternity their children will be truly theirs. For
all eternity their children will bless them and call
them father, mother. Their work of instilling
religion into those tender hearts is a divine work.
It is a work of leading them to eternal love.
We who are called to teach religion enjoy a
precious privilege ; we are permitted to help in the
sublime work of leading little ones to God. We
are privileged to nourish the love of God in their
young hearts.
Of all the work that God allows man to perform
in His name, none is more sacred, more sublime,
than that of teaching children the divine truths of
Faith ; it is truly the work of God ; it is a divine
mission.
INTRODUCTION xiii
Our model is Christ bending down in love to
embrace the little ones. How eagerly the little
ones must have gone to Him ! Instinctively they
knew where to find sincere love and sympathy;
they are always attracted by humility and meek-
ness. If we are to lead the little ones to God we
must train our hearts in humility and love; we
must be kind and forbearing ; we must consecrate
ourselves to them.
The sublime truths of our holy Faith were
given for simple hearts ; they were intended to be
the joy and the consolation of poor human nature
marred by sin. For this reason they are simple
and easy. God did not give us a Faith fashioned
for the great and the learned alone. He gave us a
Faith that is suited to the humblest and the
lowliest as well as to the greatest and most learned.
The humble and the lowly followed our divine
Lord far out into the desert to hear the simple
truths of our holy Faith. For days they went
with Him, eagerly listening to His teaching, forget-
ful of their very bodily necessities.
Now He has sent us to teach these selfsame
truths to the little ones ; He has sent us to care for
the tender lambs of His flock. With joy and
gladness we take the little ones by the hand and
lead them to God. First we teach them that
xiv INTRODUCTION
God is our Heavenly Father ; God sends us into
the world ; God gives us life ; God provides us
with all that we need upon earth ; God loves us ;
we are God's children.
Leading the little ones through the wonders of
God's creation, we point out to them the evidences
of God's love and benevolence. All nature, the
heavens and the earth, must speak to the child
of God. "The heavens show forth the glory of
God, and the firmament declareth the work of
His hands." !
By easy stages, the child arrives at a knowledge
of God's attributes. Long before he knows how to
define divine Providence, he will know and ap-
preciate it. Just so the little tots know and feel
love before they know the term that expresses it.
It is not enough to put the truth into the child's
memory and intellect. It must come into his
heart and into his everyday life. Hence we
weave the divine truths of Faith into the child's
life ; we lead him to practice the Faith as he
learns its truths ; we direct him in the application
of the truths to his life.
We draw the truth from the heart of the child,
as it were. That is, we lead him naturally to
know the truth. We direct his little mind in its
1 Psalms 18. 2.
INTRODUCTION xv
search for truth. By well-chosen questions, we
keep his budding intellect busily at work. Thus
he learns to think, to dwell upon the great truths
of Faith.
Any normal child six years of age can learn the
truths of Faith. There are indeed terms such as
Trinity, Sacrament, Commandment, the names of
Sacraments and the like that are difficult. Yet the
child learns these readily enough if he first learns
that which they represent. It is thus he learned
many proper names in his early childhood. He
first became acquainted with the persons ; then
gradually their names became familiar to him.
We begin with the Lord's Prayer. The child
of six that comes from a Christian home has
already been saying his prayers for two or three
years at least. Hence it is time that he should
realize the meaning of prayer. Furthermore, the
Lord's Prayer furnishes a splendid starting point
for the teaching of religion. The child's life has
been all home life ; he is filled with experiences of
home. Hence it is easy to lead him through those
experiences to a knowledge of God's divine Provi-
dence. God must first be established as Father
in the mind and heart of the child. All else that
the child learns about religion must hinge around
this fundamental truth.
xvi INTRODUCTION
To teach the child, we lead him gradually, by
little steps as it were, to the individual truths.
We give him indeed clearly defined truths by a
natural progression of thought. Then we exercise
his little mind in the knowledge of these truths ;
we teach him to recognize them from every possible
angle ; we teach him to apply them to every action
of life.
As we proceed, we continue the application of
truths that have been learned previously. The
child's knowledge must grow as a snowball grows
in the rolling; he must retain always what he
has learned before.
Indeed, we enter into many details. But the
child's mind needs a multitude of details. These
details are for the mind what the little life cells
are for the body. We can not be too minute in
giving details.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE OF
MANUAL
This manual is intended to furnish detailed
matter for every lesson in the first course of
religion. The teacher should have the manual
at hand during the lesson. However, she should
familiarize herself with the matter beforehand.
The four or five truths given at the beginning
of each lesson form the framework of the course ;
they are the truths to which the little ones are to
be led. The children should know and under-
stand these definite truths at the end of the lesson.
The teacher leads the children to a knowledge of
them. They are not to be memorized at the
beginning of the lesson.
It is not always necessary to ask all the ques-
tions that are herein contained. The children
will forestall many of them. The questions are
multiplied here so as to meet every requirement.
When the child fails to answer a question there is
generally another following that will suggest the
answer further. It might be well to take the
children through the whole course two or three
xviii INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE OF MANUAL
tiraes. In any case, there should be reviews from
the beginning every few days.
Needless to say, the teacher should prepare
well each lesson before going to class. Otherwise
she will not do justice to herself or to the children.
Begin each lesson with a little prayer. A
prayer to the guardian angel would seem very
appropriate. The following prayer is taken from
"The Child's Prayer Book" of the author : "My
dear guardian angel, watch over me to-day. Put
good thoughts into my mind. Whisper to my
heart and tell me always that God sees me ; tell
me always to be good. Dear angel, you are so
good to watch over me; I love you. Amen."
In questioning the children, first propose the
questions to all together. Then when you have
arrived at the truth which you wish to convey,
ask the individual child. Question the individual
also in repetition. Make sure that the individual
child is getting the truth. Concert work some-
times encourages laggards. Some children may
simply follow the expression of the class. Hence
the teacher should work mainly with the individual
child.
From the beginning train the children to give
complete answers to your questions. Thus to :
" Who made you ? " The answer should be : " God
INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE OF MANUAL xix
made me," and not merely: "God." It will
require but a few days' patient work to train the
children in this form of response.
The companion text Religion, First Course. The
test questions at the end of each lesson in the
manual refer to the truths given in the text used
by the children. After following the lesson from
the manual the children will readily answer these
questions.
The companion text to this volume is richly
illustrated.1 The pictures are intended to make
the children reflect upon the matter treated in the
corresponding lesson of this manual. The teacher
should ask the children to tell her about the pictures.
The comments of the children will be a test of
the progress they are making.
Thus, in a home scene, the children will be led
to speak of God's love for us ; the picture should
remind them of our Heavenly Father. Trees,
plants, animals, and the like should bring forth
some statement from them to show that they are
thinking of God's^rovidence.
They will soon learn to talk freely about the
pictures contained in this book ; this should aid
them to think more about God's love.
1 See Appendix for picture study.
RELIGION
FIRST MANUAL
INTRODUCTORY LESSON
The Lord's Prayer
Now, children, let me see you bless yourselves —
make the sign of the cross.
Now, I would like to hear you say the Our Father.
God is Our Father
Tell me about your father. What does your
father do for you ? Who keeps your home ? Who
earns money to buy what you eat and wear ? Why
does your father want you to be good ? Why do
you like to mind your father ?
Yes, children, I know how good your father is.
He works to keep you and take care of you. Why
does your father work for you ? Why does he love
you so much? Why do you like to talk to your
father ? Now ask one of them to say the Our Father.
2 RELIGION
Who is our Father in heaven ? If he hesitates,
ask another to say the Our Father. When he has said
"Our Father, who art in heaven," interrupt him:
Who is our Father in heaven ? What is God to us ?
When do you talk with our Father in heaven?
Let me hear you talk with God. Here the child
should say the Lord's Prayer. If he hesitates, have
him say the Our Father. With whom were you
talking then? When do you call God "our
Father"? Then have one proceed with the prayer,
afterward: Who was listening to you while you
were praying?
Yes, children, God hears you when you pray to
Him. He is our Heavenly Father. He likes to
listen to you. How often do you talk with God ?
With whom do you talk every morning? With
whom do you talk every evening ? How often can
you talk with God ?
So you have a father at home and a Father in
heaven. Tell me again about your father at home.
What does he do for you ? Why does your father
do all that for you ? Why does he love you ?
Why are you happy to have a father? Who is
our Father in heaven ? What does God do for us ?
Who gave you your father and mother? Why
did God give you your father and mother ? Who
gave you your brothers and sisters ? Who gave us
INTRODUCTORY LESSON 3
the world to live in ? Who is our Heavenly Father ?
How many of us are God's children ?
Yes, we are all God's children. That is why we
are all like brothers and sisters. We all belong to
God's family. Why are we all really like brothers
and sisters ? Why do we all love one another ?
Why does God want us to love one another ? Who
takes care of us all ?
Then God has a big family. WTho belong to
God's family? Who are God's children? How
many of us can talk with God ? When do we talk
with God ?
Tell me some of the people that belong to God.
Have them mention some of those whom they know
and love. It will make them realize God's fatherhood.
To whom do you belong? To whom do your
father and mother belong? To whom do your
brothers and sisters belong? Who takes care of
them all ? Whose Father is God, then ?
Yes, children, God is our Heavenly Father. He
loves us very much. Why would you like to see
our Heavenly Father? When will you see our
Heavenly Father? What kind of people go to
heaven? WTien will you be with God? Where
will you be with the angels ? Where will you be
very happy?
Yes, children, we will be very happy in heaven.
4 RELIGION
We will have all that is good. We will live for-
ever. Nobody dies in heaven.
Tell me now, children, about our Heavenly
Father. Who are God's children? Who gave
you father and mother, brothers and sisters?
How do we get everything to live with ? When do
you talk with God? Here another might be asked
to say the Our Father. Then turn their attention
again to their homes.
You told me how your father at home takes
care of you. Your father and your mother love
you very much. God gave them to you. Why do
your father and mother want you to be good?
Why do they tell you what you should do ? Why
do they tell you what you should not do ?
Your father and mother are glad when you are
good. Of course, children, I know you try to obey
your father and mother ; for I know you want to
be good.
Who is our Heavenly Father? What kind of
children does God want you to be? Why does
God want you to be good ? Where does God want
you to go when you die ?
How many of us does God want to go to heaven ?
What do you have to do to get to heaven ? Who
knows when you are good? Why is God pleased
when you are good ?
INTRODUCTORY LESSON 5
When does God see you? Who sees you all
the time? Who can see you in the dark? Why
does God watch over you all the time ? Why does
God want you to be good? Who knows what
you are doing all the time? Who knows what
you are thinking about?
God loves you very much. Day and night
He watches over you to make you good. He
wants you all to be with Him in heaven at last.
Why do you love God? Why is God so good to
you? Why are you glad that God watches over
you all the time ?
Yes, I know you all love God. You all wish
to do what God wants you to do. Your father
and mother tell you what you should do. Here
ask another to say the Our Father. Interrupt him
when he has said "give us this day our daily bread."
What did you ask God for then? You asked
God to give us our daily bread. Do you
know what that means? It means that we
want God to give us all that we need. You
know God likes to have us ask Him for what we
need.
Why does God give us what we need? What
does God give you ? Whom did God give you to
take care of you? Who gave you your father
and mother? Where do you get things to live
6 RELIGION
on? Who makes everything grow out of the
ground ? Who gave us the animals ?
Yes, God is very good to us ; He loves us all.
Why does God want to keep you good all the
time? Why does God want to keep you away
from everything bad? When will God forgive
people that are bad ? What will God do for them
if they try to be good again ? What do they have
to promise if they want God to forgive them?
What will God do if they promise to try to be
good all the time? When do you ask God to
forgive you ?
If they tell you, it is well. Otherwise ash some one
to say the Our Father. When he says "forgive ws,"
ask him what he says.
Why is God always ready to forgive you ? How
many of us does God love?
Then have the child complete the prayer, beginning
it again.
Now, children, tell me all that you know about
God. Tell me about yourself and God.
Try them to see how much they have assimilated
of the matter. Lead them on from point to point.
With whom do you talk when you pray?
Who are God's children? What can you tell me
about our Heavenly Father? What does He do
for us ? What does He want you to do ?
INTRODUCTORY LESSON 7
What can you do to please God? What does
God want to keep you from? What will God
do for bad people ? When will He forgive them ?
What does God know about us? Tell me about
God's love. How many of us does God love?
Who loves God ? When will God listen to us ?
Now, children, of course you go to church
often. Do you know whose house the church is ?
It is God's house. Whom do you visit when you
go to church? When do you visit God? With
whom do you talk in church ?
Why do you like to behave well in church?
Whose house are you in? Why do you go to
church ? When do you visit God ? Why does God
like to see you coming to His house ? Why does it
show that we love God when we go to church ?
Now, children, tell me all about God's house.
Tell me what you do when you go there. Tell me
why you go there.
Very well ; of course you will think of your
Heavenly Father often now. When you say
your prayers you will think how good our Heavenly
Father is. I am sure you are happy to know how
God loves you. And God will bless you because
you love Him. Now we will all talk with God.
We will ask Him to watch over us.
Kneel and say the Our Father with them.
FIRST LESSON
God is Our Father
God made me.
God made all the people in the world.
God loves us all.
I love God above all things.
Children, you told me the last time many
things about our Heavenly Father. I would like
to hear them again. Tell me now about our
Heavenly Father.
What does our Heavenly Father do for us?
Why does He love us ? When does He listen to
us ? When do you talk with our Heavenly Father ?
These and otJier questions from the previous lesson
will lead them to tell you what they have learned.
They must retain what they have learned before,
else they will have learned in vain. This practice
should be followed, as far as possible, all through
the course. As you proceed, naturally the review
of the whole preceding matter will enter less into
detail.
Well, children, of course you just came from
home. Tell me about your family. Who gave
8
GOD IS OUR FATHER 9
you to your father and mother? How big were
you then?
Do not be confused if some child mentions the
story of the doctor or the stork or others. Say :
So that is the way God sent you to your father
and mother.
So, then, you come from God. Just think how
wonderful that is. God sends all little babies to
their father and mother. Where did God get
you? Who made you?
Tell me now, children, about yourselves. Who
sent you into this world ? Where did you come
from? Where did your father and mother get
you ? Who gave you to your father and mother ?
Who made you? Why do you think God gave
you to your father and mother ? Whom did God
give you to take care of you? What did your
father and mother do for you when you were a
baby? Who washed your face for you then?
Who put on your little clothes ?
Induce the little ones to tell you many things that
their parents did for tliem and do for them now.
Then:
Just think how good God is to give you a father
and mother to take care of you like that. I am
sure you will often thank God for that. Tell
me again how you happen to be in this world.
10 RELIGION
Where did you come from? What could you
do when you were a little baby ? What did your
parents do for you ? What shows how good God
is?
When you are sure that they have grasped this
truth , pass to the next. Repeat until you are con-
vinced that they realize the truth. Follow this method
throughout the course.
Well, children, you told me about yourselves.
Tell me about your brothers and sisters and other
people. Where did your brothers and sisters
come from ? Who gave them to your father and
mother ? And where did your father and mother
come from ?
Where do all the other people come from?
Where did God get them? How many people
did God make? How many people were babies
once? Who gave them all to their fathers and
mothers? How many people come from God?
Where do all the people in the world come from?
Why do we all belong to God ?
How many people does God take care of?
What do we call God because He is so good to us ?
Who is really our Heavenly Father? When do
you thank God for being so good to you ? Whom
do you thank when you say your prayers ?
What can you thank God for ? Who gave you
GOD IS OUR FATHER 11
your father and mother? Whom do you thank
for that? Who sent you into this beautiful
world ?
What kind of people pray to God ? What can
bad people ask God to do? When will God for-
give them ? What kind of children does God want
you to be ?
You told me, children, that your father and
mother take care of you. You told me how much
they do for you. Why do they do all that for
you? Why do they love you? What kind of
children do they want you to be? Who tell you
what to do to be good? Who wants them to do
that?
You told me that God wants you to be good.
You told me also that good people go to heaven.
And you told me that God wants you to go to
heaven. Now, why do you think God wants you
to go to heaven? How many of you does God
love ? Why, then, does God want you in heaven ?
Yes, God loves us all. He made us all and takes
care of us. How does God show that He loves us ?
What did God do for us ? Whom did He give us
to take care of us ? How does God show that He
loves bad people? What is He ready to do for
them ?
1 Yes, children, God is so good that we can
12 RELIGION
never know how good He is. He made us so that
He could love us. How many people does God
love? How many people does God want you
to love ? Why does God want you to love all the
people in the world ? Whose children are they ?
What does it show when you are kind to others ?
How can you show that you love bad people?
When can you be kind to bad people ? When can
you pray for them ? What does it show when you
pray for them ?
Yes, God loves us. So He wants us to love
one another. We love people when we are kind
to them and when we pray for them. That pleases
our Heavenly Father.
Children, I was glad when you told me how
much you love your father and mother. Who
gave you your father and mother? Who gave
you your brothers and sisters?
Tell me some of the things you like to have.
Who gave you all the good things of the world ?
Where does everything good come from? Who
does more for you than everybody in the world?
Whom do you love best, then? Why do you
love God better than everything else ? Of course,
I know, children, you love God better than any-
thing in the world. How good God is to let us
love Him !
GOD IS OUR FATHER 13
How can you show that you love God ? What
does it show when you are good? What does it
show when you pray ? Why do you go to church ?
Who wants you to mind your father and mother ?
What does it show when you mind your father
and mother? Whom does God love? Why are
you kind to everybody?
Yes, that is the way to show that you love God.
You do all that God wants you to do. You try
to be good all the time so that when you die you
will be with God forever.
How do you happen to be in the world ? Who
gave you to your father and mother ? Where do
all the people come from ? How many of us
does God love? What shows how much God
loves us ?
What does God do for us ? When do you thank
God? Whom do you love better than anything
in the world ? Why do you love God best of all ?
How do you show that you love God ?
How happy we are, children, because God loves
us and lets us love Him. God is our Heavenly
Father. We will kneel and thank Him for being
so good and loving to us. "Our Father," etc.
Test Questions: 1. Who made you? 2. How many
people did God make ? 3. How many of us does God love ?
4. How much do you love God? (See text First Course.)
SECOND LESSON
God Takes Care of Us
God made the animals.
God made the plants.
God made the earth.
God made the sun.
Children, you told me about our Heavenly
Father. You told me where all the people in the
world come from. What does God do for us
all ? What do we do for God? Who loves us all ?
Whom do we love best ? Whom do we thank every
day?
Tell me about your pets. What kind of pets
do you like ? A dog ? kitten ? rabbits ? What do
the little birds do? What are horses good for?
What are cows good for? What do chickens
give us ?
So the animals are good for us. We use them
for many things. Can you tell me where the
animals come from? Who made the animals ?
Why did God make the animals? How do they
help us ?
GOD TAKES CARE OF US 15
So that is why God gives us the animals. He
wants us to have meat and milk and butter and
eggs and everything like that. What does that
show about God ? How does that show that God
loves us?
Yes, and God wants us to have the animals to
help make us happy. What can you do with
horses? Why do the little birds sing? How do
they make us happy? Who taught the little
birds to sing? Why did God teach them to
sing ? Why did God make them so beautiful ?
Why does it make us happy when we see them ?
Why does God do all these things for us? What
shows that God wants to make us happy ?
Now, children, tell me something about the
animals. What are the animals good for ? Where
do we get meat? Where do we get milk and
butter and eggs? Where do the animals come
from?
Just see how much God loves us, children ! He
gave us the animals to help us live. God is our
Heavenly Father.
Why do you like the flowers? Tell me about
them. What kind of flowers do you like best?
Where do the flowers grow? Who makes the
flowers grow? Why does God make the flowers
grow? Why do the flowers make us happy?
16 RELIGION
Yes, God made the pretty flowers. He made the
roses and the lilies and all the beautiful flowers
that we love. God knew that these nice flowers
would please us. If the flowers would speak,
what do you think they would say ? What would
they tell us about God? What would they tell
us about God's love ?
But there are many other things that grow in
the ground. There are trees and plants, and then
there is the nice green grass. Who makes these
grow ? What does God make grow ? How do we
get apples and peaches and plums and cherries
and everything like that? How does God give
them to us?
How do we get potatoes and tomatoes and
beans and peas and anything like that? What
grows in the garden? Who makes them grow?
Just see again how much God loves us. God
is so wonderful and so good. He gives us every-
thing that we need and He gives us so many
things to make us happy. What should we do
for all this ? How many things should you thank
God for?
Now, if somebody asked you how you know that
God loves us, what would you tell him? How
could you show him how good God is to us?
Tell me some of the good things our Heavenly
GOD TAKES CARE OF US 17
Father has given us. Tell rue about the animals,
the birds, the flowers, the trees, the plants, the grass.
You can often make a good impression on the
children by a concrete example. Take an apple, an
orange, or a flower in your hand and ask the children
what they can tell you about it. It should suggest
God's bounty to them. If necessary, ask where
it came from, and what it shows about God. The
same effect may be produced by pointing to a tree or
grass or a bird and asking them to tell you what
they know about it. Thus they learn to apply the
knowledge they have acquired.
Well, children, you told me about the animals
and the plants and flowers. Tell me, now, where
do the plants grow ? What grows in the earth ?
What did you ever plant? What makes the grass
grow out of the earth ?
How many things live on the earth ? Where do
the animals live? What do we get out of the
earth ? Where do the things we eat come from ?
Where did the earth come from? Why did God
make the earth? Who made the earth for us to
live on ?
Just think how wonderful it is ! We get so
many things out of the earth. God made this
wonderful place for us to live in. See how good God
is. Now, I like to hear you tell the wonderful
18 RELIGION
things that God has done. Tell me about the
earth.
What do we get out of the earth ? How does
there happen to be an earth? How can the
animals live? What does the earth show about
God? Why did God make the earth? What
does that show ? What shows that God loves us ?
See how our Heavenly Father loves us. He
made this earth for us to live on and filled it with
good things.
What makes it light in the daytime? What
makes it dark at night? What can you tell me
about the sun ? What gives us heat ?
The sun is wonderful. It is very big and it is
very far away from us. The sun is thousands of
times bigger than the earth. It looks small be-
cause it is so far away from us. It is millions
and millions of miles away from us.
Do you know what the sun does for us? Yes,
it gives us light and heat. But, do you know,
nothing could grow on the earth without the sun.
If we didn't have the sun we wouldn't have any
trees, or plants, or flowers.
Why could we not live without the sun ? Why
would nothing grow? Why could we not see
without the sun ? Why would we freeze to death
without the sun ?
GOD TAKES CARE OF US 19
Where did the sun come from ? Why did God
make the sun ? Why did God make it for us ?
What does that show about God? Why is God
always doing something good for us?
When you look at the sun now, what will it
make you think about God ? Why will the sun
make you think of how good God is ? What good
does the sun do us?
Why do you like the sunrise in the morning?
Who makes the sunrise so beautiful? Why did
God make the sunrise so beautiful? Why does
He want to make us happy ? Why do you like the
sunset, too ? What does it make you think of ?
Just think of all the wonderful things God does,
children. And He does so many, many wonder-
ful things for us. It shows how great and good
God is.
What can you tell me now about the sun?
How does it happen to be there in the sky ?
Why did God make the sun? How does the sun
show that our Heavenly Father loves us ?
Now, children, I would like to hear you talk
about the animals, the plants, the earth, and the
sun. What can you tell me about the animals?
What can you tell me about the plants? What
can you tell me about the earth ? What can you
tell me about the sun ?
20 RELIGION
That is fine, children. You know many wonder-
ful things about God. You know how beautiful
are all the things that God has made. I am sure
all these things will make you think about God
every day. I know you are happy to know how
good God is to us.
Test Questions: 1. Who made the animals? 2. Who
made the plants? 3. Who made the earth? 4. Who
made the sun?
THIRD LESSON
God is the Maker of All Things
God made the moon.
God made the stars.
God made the seas.
God made the fishes.
Well, children, the last time you were here you
told me many nice things about the animals, and
the plants, and the earth, and the sun. What
shows how our Heavenly Father loves us?
What good do we get from the animals? Tell
me some of the things that help make us happy.
Tell me how the plants grow. Whose children are
we all ? Why do we all love one another ? Whom
does God love?
Children, why do you like to look at the sky in
the night? What beautiful things do you see
there? What does the moon do for us? Which
gives more light — the moon or the sun ? Why
do we not need so much light in the night as we
need in the day?
Of course, at night we sleep. But you see how
beautiful the moon is. And it is very big, too,
21
22 RELIGION
but not so big as the earth. Where do you
think the moon came from ? Why did God make
the moon? Who makes the moon move about?
Who keeps the moon up there in the sky ?
Just think how wonderful the moon is. It is
traveling around in the sky all the time. But it
always goes the same way. It goes around once
every month. See how great and good God is !
If some one asked you now about the moon,
what would you tell him ? And if he didn't know
how the moon happened to be up there in the
sky, what would you tell him? Wlien you look
at the moon, what does it make you think about
God?
Why does it make you think how great and
good God is? How does the moon show that God
loves us? Why does God want to give us some
light at night? God is our Heavenly Father.
Just think how good He is to us ! Who made the
moonlight so beautiful? Why do you like to look
at the moonlight ? Why does it make you happy ?
Why does God want to make us happy ?
Why can you not count the stars ? How many
stars do you think there are ? Who do you think
knows how many stars there are? Where did
the stars come from ? Why did God make the
stars? Why do the stars make you happy?
GOD IS THE MAKER OF ALL THINGS 23
There are millions and millions of stars. Nobody
has ever been able to count them all. You know
the sky is very big. You could travel billions
and billions of miles and never come to the end
of it.
Where did the sky come from? Who made
the sky ? Who put the stars in the sky ? Where
do the millions and millions of stars come from?
What do the stars make you think about? Why
do the stars make you think about God? Who
keeps the stars up there? What does that show
about God ? How does that show how wonderful
God is?
That is fine, children. Now tell me again all
that you know about the moon and the stars.
Tell me about the sky ; what do these things make
you think about?
Here you would have the children realize the
blessings of water. It would be especially striking
to take a glass of water and ask the children to tell
you all that they know about it. Ask:
What is water good for?
Here the children will readily think of many
things about water. It is good to drink, to wash
with, to go swimming in, to boat-ride on the lake.
Just think how much water there is in the world !
There are great oceans all around the world. In
24 RELIGION
some places these oceans are many miles deep.
Then there are rivers and lakes in all parts of
the world. Where do big ships go? What are
ships good for? Who made the ocean?
These big ships travel thousands and thousands
of miles on the ocean. Some of them are big
enough to hold several thousand people.
Why do you like to ride in a boat? Where
does the ocean come from ? Where do the rivers
and lakes come from? Why did God give us all
the water in the world ? What is water good for ?
What does that show about God? How does
that show that God loves us?
1 Why do you like to see it raining ? What does
the rain do for the grass ? What makes the grass
nice and green? What does the rain do for the
plants and flowers? Who makes it rain? What
does that show about God? How does the rain
show that God loves us ? Why could we not live
where it never rained ?
You might tell them the story of Sahara.
No, children, people can't live in places where
it never rains. Did you ever hear about the
great deserts? The biggest desert in the world
is called the Sahara. It is hundreds and hundreds
of miles long and it is very wide. It is all sand
and dust. There is little water on it. People
GOD IS THE MAKER OF ALL THINGS 25
find it hard to live on it. Hardly anything grows
on the desert. There are no trees, no plants, no
flowers, and no grass, except in the oases that God
has made as resting places for people who have
to cross the desert.
When people want to cross the desert they have
to take water with them. Do you know how
they travel ? They travel on camels ; for no
horses can go there. And there are no roads
where automobiles can go. Do you know how
the camels get water? God made them so that
they can carry water enough to do them for a
long time. So you see how God takes care of the
people that have to cross the desert.
Now, children, tell me about the water. Tell
me all that it is good for. Tell me about the ocean
and the rivers and lakes. Tell me some of the
things you can thank God for.
How does God help people cross the desert?
What shows that God loves everybody in the world?
What kind of people thank God every day ? What
do you say when any one gives you a drink of
water? Why do you say "thank you"?
Why do you try to be kind to everybody?
Who wants us to thank everybody that does some-
thing for us ? Tell me some of the times you can
say "thank you" — at home, at school, at table,
26 RELIGION
on the street. Why does God want us to be kind
to everybody ? To whom does everybody belong ?
Whose children are we all?
What can you tell me about the fishes? How
do people catch fish? How do the fishes go
through the water? What are fishes good for?
What kind of fish do you know that live in the
ocean? Where do the fishes come from? Why
did God make the fishes? For what do we use
them? Who made the fishes so that they can
live under water all the time? It shows how
wonderful God is. He knows how to make things
just as they ought to be.
Tell me now about the wonderful things that
are in the sky. What do you know about the sun,
the moon, the stars? Tell me about the ocean
and what good it does us. Whom must we
thank for all the good things we have in this
world? How often will God let us thank Him?
Test Questions: 1. Who made the moon? 2. Who
made the stars? 3. Who made the seas? 4. Who made
the fishes ?
FOURTH LESSON
God is Wonderful
God sees all things.
God knows all things.
God can do all things.
God is everywhere.
Well, children, you look bright and happy to-
day. I am sure you have been thinking of how
good God is to us. Tell me some of the fine things
you know about God. Tell me what makes you
think of how good God is.
Why do you like to talk about God? What
do you say about God? When does God see us
all? Who sees all that we do? Why can God
see you in the night, too ?
Why can God see all the people in the world ?
Who sees what everybody is doing? Who sees
all the animals and all the fishes? How much,
then, does God see?
Why does God watch over us all the time?
What kind of children does He want you to be ?
When is God pleased with what you do? Who
always sees you when you are kind to others?
27
28 RELIGION
How does God know every time you obey your
parents? How does God know when you help
others ? How many people does God see ? When
does God see all the people in the world ?
What does God like to see you doing? What
are some of the good things God likes to see you
doing? Why does God watch over you? Yes,
God is our Heavenly Father. He watches over
us to keep us from harm.
Now, children, you told me that God sees all
things. God is wonderful. What does God know
about you ? How many of your names does God
know ? Who knows what we are all doing now ?
Who knows all that we did yesterday ?
Who knows all that you ever did in your whole
life? Who knows every time you are kind to
others? Who knows every time you were very
good? What other good things does God know
about you ? Who always knows when anybody
is bad? What will God do for bad people, if they
are sorry? What do they have to promise?
Who knows what is going to happen to-morrow?
Who knows what is going to happen next week?
Next month? Next year? Who knows every-
thing that is ever going to happen ? How much,
then, does God know? See how great and good
God is. He is a wise and loving Father to us.
GOD IS WONDERFUL 29
He rules the whole world. Tell me now what
God knows. What does God know about you?
What is going to happen that God knows ? What
does God know about you that pleases Him?
Children, you told me many wonderful things
that God has done. What did God do for you?
How do you happen to be in the world? Where
did the world come from ?
Where did the sun, and the moon, and the
stars come from? Who gave us things to live
with ? Where do the animals and the plants
come from ? How much do you think God can do ?
Yes, God can do all things. God is great and
good and holy. God is our Heavenly Father.
Who takes care of us in this world? What will
God do for us when we die? When will God
take us to heaven? What do we have to do if
we want God to take us to heaven ?
How much can God do? What can you see
that God has made ? Who made the earth ? Who
made the sun and the moon and the stars ? Who
made the animals and the trees and the plants?
Who made all the people in the world ?
Well, children, you told me how great and
good God is. Tell me, now : Who belong to
God's family? Why are we all like brothers
and sisters ? Why do we all love one another ?
30 RELIGION
How many people does God watch over ? When
is God with us? How do you think God can
watch over all the people in the world? Where
is God?
Yes, God is everywhere. God is in heaven.
When we go to heaven we can see God there.
The angels and the people that are in heaven
now see God all the time. God is on the earth
and everywhere. Isn't it wonderful that God can
be everywhere ! That shows how great and won-
derful God is.
Now, if some one should ask you where God is,
what would you tell him ? But if he should say
that you can't see God, what would you say ?
Could you tell him where we will see God ? Who
sees God now ? When do you hope to see God ?
Of course, we can't see God on earth. Our
eyes are not able to see God. They are not made
to see God. We can't even see the angels with
our eyes. But we will be able to see God and
the angels in heaven. We will be able to see
more then than we see now.
When is God with us? Where is God in the
night? Where is God when we are sick? Why
does God send somebody to take care of us when
we are sick ?
Who is pleased if we keep from complaining
GOD IS WONDERFUL 31
when we are sick? Who is with us when we
are sad? Why does God send somebody to help
poor people? Who knows best what is good for
us?
Why do we always thank God? How does
God help sick people ? Why do sick people thank
God ? How does God help poor people ? Why
do poor people thank God? Where will every-
body be happy ?
Yes, children, God lets people be sick and sad
and poor sometimes. He wants us to show that
we love them. He wants us to help them for
Him. Then, too, you know God wants us to
think of heaven. We are not going to be in this
world forever. But we will be in heaven forever.
Test Questions : 1 . What does God see ? 2. What
does God know? 3. What can God do? 4. Where is
God?
FIFTH LESSON
The Blessed Trinity
There is but one God.
There are three persons in God.
The Father is the First Person.
The Son is the Second Person.
The Holy Ghost is the Third Person.
Well, children, you have told me many wonder-
ful things about God. You have told me how
great and good God is. Tell me again some of
those nice things.
What did God do for you? How does God
show that He loves you ? Who gave you this
beautiful world to live in ? What shows that
God is our Heavenly Father? What does God
do to make you happy ? How long will God
love you ? What will happen after you die ?
Oh, that is fine, children. Indeed you know
many, many things about God. But there are
many, many more wonderful things to know about
God. You can keep on learning good things
about God all your life.
32
THE BLESSED TRINITY 33
How long do you think God has been God?
God has been God always. God was always God
just as He is now.
How long did God live before the world was
made? How long do you think God has been
just as He is now ? How long do you think God
will be God ?
Yes, children, God is wonderful. We are going
to learn many more good things about God.
We are going to learn more about how God
loves us.
Tell me something about your father and mother.
Tell me some of the things they have told you —
things that happened before you were born.
What did they ever tell you about the time when
they were children? What did they say they
used to do? What have they told you about
places where you have never been? What have
they told you about people whom you have never
seen? Why do your father and mother love you
so much ? Why do they tell you these things ?
Well, children, God has done the same for us.
You know God has told us many things about
Himself. He has told us things that we could
never know if He hadn't told us. He has told us
about Himself and about heaven and about the
angels.
34 RELIGION
How do you think God did that? I will tell
you. God spoke to some people. Of course,
they were very holy men. Do you know what
they are called? They are called patriarchs and
prophets.
Now, how do you know many things about
God ? Who tells us many things about God ?
How do we know about the angels? To whom
did God speak? Who spoke to the patriarchs?
Who spoke to the prophets ?
Yes, God spoke to the patriarchs and the
prophets. Sometimes God sent angels to tell
them what He wanted them to know.
Then our Lord came. Of course, you know
our Lord is really God. Our Lord told us more
than all the others. Then the Apostles told us
many things. Our Lord and the Apostles told
us all that God wants us to do. That is what
the Catholic Church teaches.
Whom did God send to teach us many things
about Himself? Who spoke to the patriarchs
and prophets? Who came down from heaven
to tell us about God ? Who told us more than all
the others ? Who sent the Apostles to teach us ?
What Church teaches us all those things now ?
And, do you know, children, many of these
wonderful things about God and about heaven
THE BLESSED TRINITY 35
and the angels are written in a book. Do you
know what that book is called? It is called the
Bible. Do you know who wrote the Bible?
Well, it was really God who wrote the Bible. For
He told some holy men every word He wanted
them to write. That is why we call the Bible
the word of God.
Now, tell me, children; What book did God
write? Whom did God tell to write the Bible?
How many of the words in the Bible did God
tell them? Why is the Bible called the Word
of God ? Whose words are in the Bible ?
So you said your father and mother told you
about things that happened before you were born.
Who else told us many things that we couldn't
know ourselves? What did God tell us about?
Who told us about heaven and the angels?
To whom did God speak? Who spoke to the
patriarchs and prophets ? Who came from heaven
to tell us the most of all ? Who sent the Apostles
to tell us many things? How do we know all
these things now? What Church teaches them
to us?
You see, children, how much God loves us.
He wants us to know Him so that we can love
Him more than ever. You know the pagans
used to think that there were many gods. They
36 RELIGION
believed in false gods. What would you tell a
pagan if he told you that ? Who is our Heavenly
Father?
You know, children, God is not like we are.
God is so wonderful that we can never know all
about Him. So God has to tell us what He wants
us to know about Himself.
Now there are three persons in God. Of
course, there is only one God. But there are
three persons in God. Do you know who told
us this ? God told us. How many persons are
there in God? Who told us how many persons
there are in God? How do you know that there
are three persons in God?
Now I will tell you who these three persons in
God are. The Father is the First Person. The
Son is the Second Person. The Holy Ghost is
the Third Person.
Now you tell me who are the three persons in God.
Who is the First Person? Who is the Second
Person ? Who is the Third Person ?
Make the sign of the cross (bless yourself).
What three persons did you name just now?
How many persons are there in God ? How do
we know about the three persons in God? Who
told us about them?
Yes, there are three persons in God. They are
THE BLESSED TRINITY 37
called divine persons. That is because they
are really God. What kind of persons are the
three persons in God? Why do we call them
divine persons ? Name the three persons in God.
Who told us many things about God? Who
told us that there are three persons in God ? Who
is the first divine person? Who is the second
divine person ? Who is the third divine person ?
God wants us to know Him better so that we
will love Him more. That is why He told us these
things. Why did God tell us so many things
about Himself? Why does God want us to love
Him ? Where will we go if we love God ? What
book did God write? What should we say to
God for telling us these things?
Test Questions : 1. Is there but one God? 2. How
many persons are there in one God ? 3. Who is the First
Person? 4. Who is the Second Person? 5. Who is the
Third Person?
SIXTH LESSON
The Three Divine Persons
The Father has always been God.
The Son has always been God.
The Holy Ghost has always been God.
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one God.
The three persons together are called the Blessed Trinity.
The last time you were here, children, you told
me about the three persons in God. How do we
know that there are three persons in God ? Who
told us? What kind of persons are they ? Who
is the First Person ? Who is the Second Person ?
Who is the Third Person ?
To whom did God speak when He told us many
things about Himself? Who spoke to the
patriarchs and the prophets ? In what book did
God write many things? How did God write
the Bible? Who came to tell us the most about
God ? Whom did our Lord send to tell us many
things about God? What Church teaches us
these things now ?
Yes, there are three persons in God. They are
divine persons. God himself told us. Each per-
38
THE THREE DIVINE PERSONS 39
son is the same God. The Father is God ; the
Son is God ; the Holy Ghost is God.
Just think how wonderful God is ! How many
persons are there in God? Who is the First
Person? How long has the Father been God?
Who is the Second Person? Who is the Third
Person ?
So now you know about the three divine persons.
How did we learn about the three divine persons ?
What Church did God send to teach us? What
can God do ? How many persons are there in
God? What can God the Father do? What
can God the Son do? What can God the Holy
Ghost do ?
Yes, there is only one God. There are three
divine persons in God. Each divine person can
do all things ; for they are all the same God.
How long has God been just as He is now?
How long has God the Father been as He is now ?
How long has God the Son been as He is now?
How long has God the Holy Ghost been as He is
now ? How long has God been God ?
How long has the Father been God ? How long
has the Son been God? How long has the Holy
Ghost been God? How long will God be as He
is now? How long will God the Father be as
He is now ? How long will God the Son be as He
40 RELIGION
is now? How long will God the Holy Ghost be
as He is now ?
How long will God be God? How long will
the Father be God? How long will the Son be
God? How long will the Holy Ghost be God?
Yes, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost
were always God. They will be God forever.
What did God do for you? Where do you
come from ? Where do all the people in the world
come from? Where did the world come from?
Where did the sun and the moon and the stars
come from ?
Who takes care of all the people in the world ?
What divine persons are the same God? How
much does God know? How much does God
the Father know? How much does God the Son
know? How much does God the Holy Ghost
know ?
Yes, God the Father, and God the Son, and
God the Holy Ghost do everything for us. The
three divine persons know all things ; for they
are the same God.
Do you know what the three divine persons
together are called? They are called the Blessed
Trinity. Say that : The three divine persons
together are called the Blessed Trinity. Say it
again : The Blessed Trinity, the Blessed Trinity.
THE THREE DIVINE PERSONS 41
What are the three divine persons together
called? Say it all; the three divine persons
together are called the Blessed Trinity. That
is right. That means that there are three divine
persons in one God.
Who is the first divine person ? How long has
God the Father been God? What can God the
Father do ? What does God the Father know ?
Who is the second divine person? How long
has God the Son been God ? How long will God
the Son be as He is now? What can God the
Son do? What does God -the Son know?
Who is the third divine person? How long
has the Holy Ghost been God? What can God
the Holy Ghost do? What does God the Holy
Ghost know ? Where is God ? Where is God
the Father? Where is God the Son? Where
is God the Holy Ghost ?
Yes, children, the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost are the same God. The three divine persons
are always with us. The three divine persons
watch over us.
How many of us does God love? How many
of us does God the Father love ? How many of
us does God the Son love ? How many of us does
God the Holy Ghost love ?
Yes, that is right. The Father, the Son, and
42 RELIGION
the Holy Ghost love us all very much. The
three divine persons are the same God.
How do we know all these things about the three
divine persons ? Who told us about the three
divine persons? What Church teaches us what
God told us about the three divine persons?
Who sent the Catholic Church to teach us?
What do we call the three divine persons
together? What are the three persons in the
Blessed Trinity? What persons do you name
when you make the sign of the cross ? Make
the sign of the cross.
Now you see, children, more than ever how
wonderful God is. Whom can we thank for
telling us all these wonderful things ? You see
God wanted us to know more about Him so that
we would love Him more than ever.
Test Questions: 1. How long has the Father been
God ? 2. How long has the Son been God ? 3. How long
has the Holy Ghost been God? 4. What persons are
one God? 5. What are the three persons together called?
SEVENTH LESSON
The Angels
God made the angels.
Our guardian angels watch over us.
Our guardian angels are always with us.
Our guardian angels want to make us good.
To-day, children, we are going to talk about
the angels. You said that God told us about the
angels. Yes, God told us about them. We
can read about the angels in the Bible, too. Who
wrote the Bible ? How did God write the Bible ?
Who told the holy men the words to write?
Some day you will read about the angels in
the Bible. Now, I am sure, we can learn many
fine things about the angels. Of course, we
can't see the angels with our eyes. You know
our eyes are not made to see things like the angels.
When will you be able to see the angels ? There
are millions and millions of angels. Nobody on
earth knows how many millions of angels there
are. Who do you think does know? How does
God know ? How much does God know ?
Where do you think the angels come from?
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44 RELIGION
Who made the angels very good and holy ? Yes,
God made the angels very good and holy. God
loves the angels very much. Why do you think
God made the angels? Who loves all the holy
angels ?
The angels are wonderful beings. They are
even more wonderful than we are. They are
very, very beautiful. They know much more
than we can ever know in this world. They
never get sick and they never die. They don't
have to have eyes to see with as we do. But
they can see much more than we can. They don't
have to have hands to do things with. But
they can do much more than we can. They
don't have to have feet to move about with.
But they can go millions of miles in a second.
Yes, the angels are wonderful. They are more
like God than we are. They are spirits. They
don't have bodies as we have.
Now, children, I would like to hear you talk
about the angels. How do we know about the
angels? Who told us about the angels? Where
can we read about the angels? Where do the
angels come from ? Who made the angels ?
Who loves all the angels ? Why did God make
the angels? When will we be able to see the
angels? How much do the angels know?
THE ANGELS 45
Tell me how wonderful the angels are. How
long do they live? How can they see? How
can they do things? How fast can they go?
Who are the angels like? What kind of beings
are the angels? Why are they called spirits?
Just see how wonderful God is when He can
make beautiful beings like the angels.
What kind of children does God want you to
be ? Why did God give you a father and mother ?
Why does God take so much care of you ? Who
is our Heavenly Father? When do you thank
God for all His goodness to you? What do you
thank God for ?
Now, I would like to have you tell me about
your friends. Why do you like to have your
friends with you? Why would you like to have
an angel for a friend? Why would you like to
have an angel with you all the time? Why
would you like to have an angel love you very much ?
Of course, you would like to have an angel for
a friend and have him with you all the time and
have him love you. Now I am going to tell you
something that will make you very happy. Every
one of you has an angel for a friend. Every one
of you has an angel that goes with you all the
time. Every one of you has an angel that loves
you very much.
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Do you know what that angel friend is called?
He is called your guardian angel. Who do you
think gave you your guardian angel? Why do
you think God gave you your guardian angel?
Why do you think God wants your guardian
angel to watch over you? What does that show
about God ?
How happy you are, children. Each one of
you has an angel for a friend. Each one of you
has an angel to watch over you all the time.
How many people do you think have guardian
angels ?
Who gave all the people in the world guardian
angels? Who gave your brothers and sisters
guardian angels? Who gave your father and
mother guardian angels ? Who gives little babies
guardian angels?
Just think how good God is! He sends an
angel to watch over everybody.
When did you get your guardian angel? Who
sent you your guardian angel when you were
born ? Who sends your guardian angel with
you every day? Who watches over you when
you are asleep? How long will your guardian
angel be with you ?
What will your guardian angel do when you
die? Who will go with you to heaven? When
THE ANGELS 47
will you be able to see your guardian angel ? How
long do you think your guardian angel will love
you in heaven ? And how long will you love your
guardian angel in heaven ?
What kind of children does God want you to
be ? Why does God want you to be good ? Why
does God want you to go to heaven? How long
will God love you in heaven ?
What kind of children do you think your
guardian angel wants you to be? Why does
your guardian angel want you to be good ? Why
does your guardian angel watch over you all the
time? Why does your guardian angel pray for
you every day ? What do you think your guard-
ian angel asks God to do for you? Why does
your guardian angel want you to go to heaven ?
You know how happy you feel when you are
very good. What angel is happy when you are
very good? Who puts good thoughts into your
mind?
Yes, your guardian angel puts good thoughts
into your mind. He is always trying to keep
you very good. And your guardian angel tries
to keep you away from everything that is bad.
When bad boys and girls come to you he wants
you to leave them.
Do you know why your guardian angel does
48 RELIGION
all this for you ? Why does he love you ? What
do you think your guardian angel likes to see
you doing? Why does he like to see you saying
your prayers? Why is your guardian angel
pleased when you obey your father and mother
at once? Why is your guardian angel pleased
when you are kind to everybody?
Why do you love your guardian angel ? How
do you show that you love your guardian angel?
When can you pray to him? Who is pleased
when you pray to your guardian angel ?
What can you ask your guardian angel to do
for you? How often can you ask your guardian
angel to pray for you ? When will your guardian
angel pray for you ?
Now, children, suppose some one asked you
about the angels, what would you tell him ? How
do there happen to be angels? What kind of
beings are they ? What can they do without
eyes and hands and feet and without a body ?
What do some angels do for us? What do we
call the angels that watch over us? When do
your guardian angels go with you? What do
they do when we die ?
Why do they want to help us to be good ? How
long will our guardian angels love us? How can
you show that you love your guardian angel?
THE ANGELS 49
What will your guardian angel do for you if you
ask him ? When can you thank God for giving
you those dear angels to watch over you ?
Test Questions: 1. Who made the angels? 2. What
angels watch over us? 3. When are our guardian angels
with us? 4. What do our guardian angels want to do for
us?
EIGHTH LESSON
The Devils
The bad angels are devils.
The bad angels do not love God.
The devils hate us because we love God.
The devils try to make us bad.
Well, little ones, I am glad to see you here.
It is always a pleasure to hear you tell so many
good things. The last time you were here you
told me about the good angels.
Where did the angels come from? Why did
God make the angels? What kind of beings are
they? What can the angels do? Who loves
the angels very much? Whom do the angels
love?
Tell me what the angels do for us. What
can you tell me about your angel friend ? What
does your guardian angel do for you ? When is
your guardian angel with you? Why does your
guardian angel stay with you all the time?
How do you show that you love your guardian
angel? Why did God give you your guardian
50
THE DEVILS 51
angel? How does that show that God loves you
very much ?
Of course, you know the angels were all very
good and holy when God made them. God wanted
them all to be good always. He wanted them to
obey Him. But some of them turned against
God. They did not want to do what God told
them to do. That made them bad, you know.
So they couldn't stay with God any longer. They
had to go and stay in hell forever. Do you
know what these bad angels are called? They
are called devils.
Now you see what happened to those angels
that wouldn't obey God. What do you think
about the bad angels? What should they have
done ? Why should they have obeyed God ?
What happened to the bad angels when they
refused to obey God? What are the bad angels
called? Where are the devils now? How long
will the devils have to stay in hell ?
The leader of the bad angels was called Lucifer.
The other angels followed him when he turned
against God. Lucifer and the other angels were
all very beautiful ; now they are very ugly. They
all loved God very much ; now they hate God.
Who was the leader of the bad angels? How
did the angels all look at first? How do the bad
52 RELIGION
angels look now? What changed them into
devils ?
Why do you think the bad angels turned against
God? I will tell you. They were very proud.
So they wanted to be as great as God. They
even wanted to take God's place. That is the
way bad people do. They don't want God to
tell them what to do.
Why did the bad angels turn against God?
How did they show that they were very proud?
How great did they want to be? What kind of
people don't want God to tell them what to do?
When do people think that they are better than
everybody else? What do proud people think?
Who makes people good? Whom do you thank
for making you good ? When can you thank God
for making you good?
Just think how awful it was for those bad angels
to turn away from God. How long will the bad
angels have to stay in hell? Why will they
never see God ? When do people turn away from
God? What do bad people have to do if they
want God to forgive them? What will happen
if they are very bad until they die? Where will
they be then? With whom will they be in hell?
See how good God is. He loves all the people
in the world. Why is God so good to everybody ?
THE DEVILS 53
Who are God's children ? Where does God want
them all to go when they die? What do we call
God when we pray ?
Now tell me about the bad angels again. What
made the beautiful angels ugly? What made
the good angels bad? Why did they refuse to
obey God? What happened to them then?
How long will they be in hell ? Who will be with
the devils in hell forever?
You know how God loved those angels before
they became bad. Who gave them all the good
things that would make them happy ? What
should those angels have done? Why should
they have thanked God? Why should they
have loved God always ? Why do the bad angels
hate God ?
The bad angels thought they didn't need God
any more. They had so many things that they
thought they could get along without God.
What do you think made the bad angels so foolish ?
What did they think when they became proud ?
What kind of people are foolish like that some-
times? What kind of people sometimes think
they can get along without God? What kind
of people think they don't have to pray? What
kind of people think they don't have to go to
church ?
54 RELIGION
Why do bad people think they don't have to
do what God wants them to do ? What do proud
people think? Who are bad people like when
they are proud? What do you think made the
bad angels proud? Who made them good and
beautiful ?
What makes people proud sometimes? What
makes them think they are better than others ?
Whom do good people thank for being good ? Why
did the bad angels not thank God for being good ?
What should the bad angels have done instead
of being proud ? Why should they have thanked
God ? When are people sometimes proud of what
they know? What kind of people think they
know more than everybody else? Whom do
good people thank for what they know ?
When are some people proud of what they
have? Whom do good people thank for what
they have ? Where do we get everything we have
in this world? When do you thank God for all
that He has done for you?
What did God do for the angels? What did
the bad angels do ? What made them turn against
God? Why do they not love God now? Why
did the bad angels think they didn't need God
any more? What were they proud of? When
are people sometimes proud like the bad angels ?
THE DEVILS 55
When the bad angels didn't love God any
more, how do you think they talked about God?
When do you think the devils take God's name in
vain? When do you think they began to curse
and swear ? . Who do you think was the first
ever to curse and swear? How did bad people
learn to curse and swear? What do the devils
show when they curse and swear ?
Of course, children, some people don't know
how bad it is to curse and swear and to use bad
language. They never learned the truth as you
did. So we feel sorry for them and pray for them
when we know that they curse and swear.
Tell me now what you think about cursing and
swearing. Where did it start first? Why do
the devils curse and swear? Why do they hate
God? How did bad people learn to curse and
swear? How do you feel when anybody curses
and swears? Why do you want everybody to
talk good about God? Why do you love God
so much ?
Children, you told me that the devils hate
God. Why do the devils not want anybody to
love God? How do you think the devils feel
when they see anybody loving God ?
Why are they still jealous of God? Why are
they jealous of good people? Why do you think
56 RELIGION
the devils hate us? Who hate us because we
love God ?
Yes, you know the devils were good angels
once. Then they used to love God and they
were very beautiful and very happy. Now they
don't love God any more ; they hate Him. So
they are very ugly and very miserable. They
don't want anybody to be happy. That is why
they hate us when we love God.
Why don't the devils want anybody to love
God? Whom do the devils hate? Why do the
devils hate us ? What makes the devils miserable ?
What kind of people are miserable? What kind
of people are happy ?
Indeed, children, there are some people so bad
that they hate others because they are good.
They laugh at good people when they make the
sign of the cross and say their prayers. They
tell them it is foolish to go to church. They even
try to get them to do bad things and to curse and
swear.
Who do you think makes bad people hate others
because they are good? Why do the devils want
bad people to hate us? Why do bad people
sometimes laugh at us when we say our prayers?
Who do you think tells them to do this ?
How do you feel for those people that laugh
THE DEVILS 57
at us when we try to be good? Why do you
feel sorry for them ? What can you do for them ?
How often can you pray for them?
Of course, we don't think that we are better
than others, no matter how bad they are. We
just think that we are trying to be good. We
want everybody to be good and love God. That
is why we pray for them.
Who hate us when we try to be good? Why
do the devils hate us when we try to be good?
Why do they hate God? What do bad people
sometimes do to us? Why do they sometimes
laugh at us ? What do they sometimes try to get
us to do ?
But, of course, you keep from being ashamed
when anybody laughs at you. You try to be
good and show that you love God no matter
where you are. I know you will always be brave
and strong and will never be afraid to try to be
good.
Do you know, children, sometimes the people
that love God have to suffer very much. Bad
people hate them and try to turn them away
from God. The pagans hated the early Christians
like that. They did not want them to love God
and believe in Him. They wanted them to deny
our holy Faith. So they were very cruel to them.
58 RELIGION
They used to kill very many of them because
they would not turn away from our holy Church.
Sometimes they would cut off their hands and
feet. Sometimes they would cut out their tongues.
Sometimes they would burn them to death.
Sometimes they would throw them to lions and
tigers that would tear them to pieces.
But the good Christians were brave and strong.
They would not complain no matter what the
pagans did to them. They were never afraid.
They were very happy even when they were in
the most terrible pains. They used to sing and
pray when they were being killed.
They were happy to die for loving God. They
knew God would take them to heaven where they
would be happy forever. They are called martyrs.
We pray to them and ask them to pray for us.
We ask them to help us to be brave and strong.
Do you know the names of any holy martyrs?
You know there were thousands and thousands
of them. St. Peter was a martyr. St. Paul was
a martyr. All the Apostles were martyrs. St.
Agnes and St. Cecilia and St. Sebastian were
martyrs.
Why do the devils hate us? Why do bad
people hate us sometimes? What can you do
for these bad people? Whom do you thank for
THE DEVILS 59
helping you be good? Why do you keep from
thinking that you are better than anybody else?
Who makes you good ?
When do people turn away from God? When
did the bad angels turn away from God? Why
do the devils hate God? What kind of people
do the devils hate ?
Why do the devils try to make you bad ? Why
do they want you to turn away from God ? Why
are they jealous of God?
Do you know that the devil even tempted our
Lord? Yes, he didn't know that our Lord was
really God. So he thought he could get our
Lord to follow him. Our Lord had fasted forty
days just as good people fast now during Lent.
Then the devil asked our Lord to turn stones into
bread. He asked our Lord to show what He could
do. He even wanted our Lord to adore him.
That shows how proud the devil is. But our
Lord drove the devil away. That is the way all
good people do when the devil tempts them.
Tell me about the bad angels. Whom do the
devils hate ? Why do they hate us ? What do the
devils try to do with good people? Why do
they want to turn them away from God ?
How does the devil try to make good people
bad? What kind of thoughts does he put into
60 RELIGION
their mind ? Who helps good people when the
devil tries to make them bad? How often will
God help them? When do you ask God to help
you? Why do you say your prayers every
morning and evening ?
What shows how much God loves you ? When
is God always willing to help you? What does
your guardian angel do for you? When do you
ask your guardian angel to help you drive the
devils away ? What will your guardian angel
do for you when you pray to him?
That is fine, children. I am glad you know
about the devils. You will always pray to God
to drive them from you. You will pray to your
guardian angel, too.
Test Questions: 1. What are the bad angels? 2.
Whom do the bad angels not love? 3. Why do the devils
hate us? 4. What do the devils try to do to us?
NINTH LESSON
Heaven
God made us for heaven.
In heaven we will have all that is good.
Heaven will last forever.
We will see God in heaven.
Well, how are my little friends to-day ? Fine,
I am sure. I know you are going to tell me many
good things. Tell me about your games. What
do you like to play best?
What good things do you like best? What
makes you happy at home ? What do your father
and mother do for you ? How do your father and
mother make you happy? How do your play-
mates make you happy ?
Why do you like the pretty flowers? Why
do they make you happy ? How do the little
birds make you happy ? How does the sun
make you happy? How does the moon make
you happy? How does the whole earth make
you happy ?
But how long will you be in the world ? What
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62 RELIGION
will happen if you live a long time ? How many
people will die ? Yes, children, we will all die
some day. If we live until we grow very old,
our body will wear out ; then we will die. Many
people die because they are sick or get hurt before
they grow old.
When will we have to leave everything that we
have in this world ? Why do you think God lets
us die ? What has God ready for us when we die ?
Where will God take us when we die? Then,
what did God make us for? Whose home
is heaven? Where is our Heavenly Father's
home? So when we die, where are we really
going? When are we going to our real home?
What people will go to heaven when they die?
Where will the others go ? Whose fault is it if
they go to hell ?
So God does not want us to live forever in this
world. He just wants us to live here until we
show that we love Him. Then He takes us home
to heaven to be with Him forever.
What does that show about God? How does
that show that God loves us ? What does God
want us to do in this world ? How do we show
that we love God? What do we have to do to
show that we love God ?
What are some of the things that God wants
HEAVEN 63
us to do? What do you do every day that God
wants you to do ? Why do you pray every day ?
What does He want you to do for your father and
mother? What does God want you to do on
Sundays and Holy Days ?
What does God want you to do for everybody
in the world ? How can you show that you love
everybody? What can you do for everybody?
What can you do for bad people, too? How
does God want you to act toward everybody ?
How does God want you to use everything?
How does God want you to eat and drink ? How
does God want you to talk to everybody ? What
does God want you to do for old people ?
Who makes you good? Whom do you thank
for making you good? Who puts good thoughts
into your mind? Whom did God send to watch
over you wherever you go? What do you do
for your guardian angel ?
See, children, how much God loves you. He
wants you to love Him all your life so that you
can be with Him in heaven.
Now, if some one asked you why did God make
you, what would you tell him? For what did
God make you? What do you have to do to
get to heaven ? Why does God let us die ? What
has God waiting for us when we die ?
64 RELIGION
When people die, their body is put in the grave.
But their soul is still alive. You know our soul
never dies. It lives forever. Our soul is the best
part of us. It is a spirit like God and the angels.
So that after we die we are really alive ; for our
soul is alive.
Of course, you know our soul is not in our body
after we die. But we can know things with our
soul. Who else knows everything without a body ?
What does God know without a body? What
do the angels know and see without a body ?
So when people die, their soul still lives. Their
body alone dies. Of course, we will all have our
bodies again at the end of the world.
So, where are good people going when they die ?
Where will you be very happy? When will we
be with all our loved ones forever ? What happens
when we die ? What part of us dies ? What can
our soul do after our body dies? Whom will we
love in heaven ?
Just think, children, how many things God
has given you here. You have told me about
them. It is wonderful to think how good God
is. God made the world for us. But He didn't
make us for this world. For what did God make
us? Where will you be happy forever? When
will you be with God? Why will nobody be
HEAVEN 65
hungry or thirsty in heaven ? Why will nobody
ever be sick there? Why will nobody grow old
there? Who will be young and strong and
beautiful there ? Whom will we have around us ?
When will we be with our dear ones forever?
When will we be with the angels? When will
we be with God? When will we be able to see
God? When will we see how wonderful and
good God is?
Yes, children, it is just grand to think about
heaven. We can never, never imagine all the
joys God has waiting for us there. God will give
us everything that can make us happy. Every-
thing will be millions of times better than the
good things we have here. We cannot imagine
how wonderful and happy we will be there.
Tell me, now, children, about heaven. What
kind of place is heaven? What will we have in
heaven? How will we live there? Who will be
with us? Whom will we know there? Whom
will you love in heaven? Who will love you in
heaven ?
How long would you like to be happy? How
long do you like to have good things ? How long
do you think heaven will last? How long will
we live in heaven ?
How long will we be happy there? How long
66 RELIGION
will our loved ones be with us ? How long will
we be with God? Who will love us in heaven?
How long will they love us?
Isn't that wonderful, children ! Just think, in
heaven we will be as happy as we can be forever
and forever. God will give us all the good things
that He can give us and we will have them forever.
Why do you like to think about heaven ? What
kind of people will God take to heaven ? How
can people go to heaven when they are dead ?
What part of them dies ? How can they know
things after they die ?
How long will our soul live ? What is our
soul? What other spirits do you know? What
does God know? Who know more, the angels or
we ? How long will we be in heaven ? Who will
be there? Who will love you there? Whom
will you love ?
Of course, you all said your prayers this morning.
To whom were you talking when you said your
prayers? What did you call God? Who is
really our Heavenly Father? Why do you love
God so much ?
Just think how great and good God is ! How
wonderful He is ! Why would you lite to see our
Heavenly Father? When will you be able to
see how wonderful God is? Yes, children, in
HEAVEN 67
heaven you will see how wonderful and how great
and how good God is. Forever and forever you
will be there with God. He will make you very,
very happy. How long will you be able to see
God in heaven ? When will you be able to talk
with God in heaven ? When will God talk with
you?
You will be at home in heaven. All will be love
and joy there. God will take you to Himself and
keep you there forever. Tell me again all that
you told me about heaven. Why did God make
you?
What will you have in heaven? How long
will heaven last ? When will you see God ? Tell
me what happens when you die. What part of
you dies ? What part of you never dies ? What
can the soul do after your body dies ? When will
we be able to see the angels ?
It is indeed wonderful, children, to think of
God and heaven. Just think how God has made
us to be happy with Him forever. Just think
how happy we will be there with God forever.
Test Questions: 1. For what did God make us? 2.
What will we have in heaven? 3. How long will heaven
last ? 4. When will we see God ?
TENTH LESSON
The Happiness of Heaven
Only good people go to heaven.
Good people do what God wants them to do.
The Catholic Church tells us what God wants us to do.
The priest tells us what the Catholic Church teaches.
Well, children, I am glad to see you so bright
and cheerful. You look happy to-day. What
makes you so happy? Who teaches others to be
kind to you? Why do others love you? Why
do you love them, too?
What kind of people do you like best? What
kind of people will go to heaven ? What do bad
people have to do if they want to go to heaven ?
How can they be good? When will God for-
give them? What will you have in heaven?
Who will be with you in heaven? What makes
people happy in this world ? What kind of people
are always happy?
Who will love you in heaven ? Whom will you
love in heaven? Why do you try to be good all
the time ? Then, who will go to heaven ?
What do we have to do if we want to be happy ?
68
THE HAPPINESS OF HEAVEN 69
What kind of people are always happy ? How
can rich people be happy ? How can poor people
be happy ?
What makes people happy? What do they
have to do to be good ? How can people be happy
when they are sick ? How can they be happy when
they are very, very poor ? But who are the good
people ? Who tells them how to be good ?
Was our Lord rich or poor when He lived on
earth? Were the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph
poor or were they rich? Why do you think they
were very happy ? What kind of people do what
God wants them to do? What did the Blessed
Virgin and St. Joseph do to be good? What do
you do to be good? When do people do what
God wants them to do ? When are people good ?
When are you good ? Who are happy ?
What kind of people go to heaven? How can
bad people get to heaven ? How can they become
good ? What do you have to do to be good ?
Children, you told me before how God told us
many things about Himself. I would like to hear
you tell that again. You said that God spoke
to some men.
To whom did God speak ? Who spoke to the
patriarchs and prophets ? Who came from heaven
to tell us the most about God ? Who told us many
70 RELIGION
things about heaven ? Who told us about the
angels ?
What holy men did our Lord send to tell us
about God? Who sent the Apostles to teach
us? What Church teaches us all that our Lord
and the Apostles taught ? What do we have to do
to be good ?
How do we know what God wants us to do?
Who sent the Catholic Church to teach us ? How
do we know all that our Lord and the Apostles
taught ? What do we have to do to be good ?
How do we know what God wants us to do?
Who sent the Catholic Church to teach us ? How
do you know all that our Lord and the Apostles
taught ?
But you told me that God wrote many things
in a holy book. What is that book called ? What
does God tell us in the Bible? How did God
write the Bible? What book tells us what God
wants us to do? How do we know what the
words of the Bible mean ? Who sent the Catholic
Church to teach us ?
So, then, we know what the words of the Bible
mean. We know what to believe. See how
good our Heavenly Father is to us. He wants
us to be sure of all that He tells us. So He gives
us the Catholic Church to teach us.
THE HAPPINESS OF HEAVEN 71
Of course, children, everybody that is wise
wants to go to heaven. But some people don't
want to do what God tells them. They are very
foolish. You told me before how we can get to
heaven.
How do we know how to be good ? What kind
of people do what God wants them to do? How
do we know what God wants us to do? Who
sent the Catholic Church to teach us what God
wants us to do ?
Who tells you what the Catholic Church
teaches ? What does the priest teach you ? Who
teaches you what the Catholic Church teaches?
Who sent the priest to teach you ? What did our
Lord tell the priest to teach you? WTio teaches
you how to be good? Who teaches you what to
believe ?
Who told the Catholic Church what to teach?
What Church teaches all that our Lord taught?
What Church teaches all that the Apostles taught ?
Then, how do you know what to do to be good?
Who gave you the Catholic Church to teach you ?
Why did God give you the Catholic Church?
Why does God want to make you good ?
How do you know what the Catholic Church
teaches ? What does the priest teach you ? Why
do you want to learn what the Catholic Church
72 RELIGION
teaches? Why do you want to be good? Why
do you want to go to heaven?
Do you know who the head priest is, children ?
He is the bishop. You know the bishop is a priest.
But he is consecrated to rule over the other priests.
Do you know who is the head bishop of the whole
world? He is the Pope. He lives at Rome.
He is the head of the whole Catholic Church. He
rules the Church for our Lord.
What kind of people go to heaven? What do
you have to do to be good ? What does the
Catholic Church teach you? Who gave us
the Catholic Church? What did God want the
Catholic Church to do for you?
Who tells you what the Catholic Church
teaches ? Who sent the priest to teach you what
the Catholic Church teaches? Who is the head
priest? Who is the head bishop of the whole
world? Where does the Pope live?
Yes, we call the Pope our Holy Father. You
know he loves us all. He prays for us. He
watches over us for God. That is why we all
love the Holy Father.
What can you do to help our Holy Father?
When can you pray for our Holy Father? How
do your prayers help our Holy Father? What
can you do for the priests and bishops? What
THE HAPPINESS OF HEAVEN 73
will God do for the priests and bishops when you
pray for them ?
Just think how good God is. He sends you
good priests and bishops and the Holy Father.
They love to teach you how to be good. They
want to lead you to God.
When can you thank God for this ? What else
can you thank God for? Who gave you the
Catholic Church ? How often would you like
to thank God ?
Yes, children, that will make you happy.
Thank God every day and God will bless you more
and more. You know how much He loves you.
He is pleased when you pray to Him and thank
Him. Pray often for our Holy Father and for
all the priests and bishops.
Test Questions : 1. What kind of people go to heaven ?
2. Who are good people? 3. What Church tells us what
God wants us to do? 4. Who tells us what the Catholic
Church teaches?
ELEVENTH LESSON
Hell
Bad people go to hell.
Bad people are those who do not do what God wants
them to do.
Bad people have to stay in hell forever.
Bad people will never see God.
I still remember, children, the many nice
things you told me about our Heavenly Father.
You told me about heaven. You told me how
happy we will be there with God, and with the
angels and all the good people. You told me
about the beautiful angels.
What kind of angels were the angels when God
made them? Who made the angels so good and
holy? What made some of the angels bad?
What are the bad angels called ?
What do the devils try to make people do?
Why do the devils try to make people bad?
Whom do the devils hate? Why do the devils
hate us ? Who hate us because we love God ?
Where do the devils want people to go when they
die? Why do the devils want people to go to
74
HELL 75
hell? Why do they want to take them away
from God ? Who hate God ? Why do the devils
hate God ?
What kind of people go to hell? Where does
God want people to go when they die? Why
does God want everybody to go to heaven ? How
many of us does God love?
What do bad people have to do if they don't
want to go to hell ? When will God forgive them ?
What do they have to be sorry for? What do
they have to promise God ?
Whose fault is it if anybody goes to hell ? Who
helps everybody to be good? What does every-
body have to ask God if he wants to be good ?
When do you ask God to help you to be
good ?
What can you do for bad people ? Why do you
pray for bad people? Why do you always feel
sorry for bad people? Why would you like to
see them all become good? Why would you like
to see them all begin to love God ?
Yes, children, God will love you more than ever
for that. Pray for people that are foolish enough
to listen to the devil. Ask God to help them as
He helped you.
You told me, children, what we have to do to
be good. What Church teaches us what God
76 RELIGION
wants us to do? How do you know what the
Catholic Church teaches ?
Who were the first that did not do what God
wanted them to do? Why did the bad angels
not want to do what God told them to do ? What
made them proud? How much did they think
they knew ?
What happened to the bad angels? What
made them bad ? When do people act as the bad
angels did ? What kind of people do not want
to do what God tells them ?
Who tells people not to do what God tells them ?
What kind of people always do what God wants
them to do ? What kind of people do not do what
God wants them to do? Who, then, are the
bad people ? Whom do good people obey ? What
kind of people obey God? Whom do bad people
obey ? What kind of people obey the devil ?
What kind of people are happy ? Why are good
people always happy? What kind of people
hope to get to heaven? What kind of people
are miserable? What must bad people do to be
happy ? How can they become good ? What
do they have to do if they want God to forgive
them?
How good God is ! He has helped you to be
good. He sent the Catholic Church and the
HELL 77
priests and the bishops and the Pope to teach
you to be good. Pray and ask God to help every-
body else as He has helped you.
What does God do with good people when they
die? What will God give us in heaven? How
long will we be happy in heaven? What do we
have to do to get to heaven? What kind of
people do what God wants them to do ? How
many people can be good if they will? Who
will help them all be good ?
Where do bad people go when they die? Who
will they be with in hell ? Who will hate them in
hell? How many people will hate one another
in hell?
It is too terrible to think about, children. Just
think of being in hell with the devils forever.
There all the devils and all the bad people will
hate one another forever. And they will be in
fire forever. They will burn forever and forever.
Who tries to make people turn away from God ?
Who hates God ? What kind of people does the
devil hate ? Why does the devil hate you ? Why
does the devil lie to people? Why does he tell
them he will make them happy? The devils
will make fun of the people they have fooled.
They will torment them and hate them forever.
Whose fault is it if anybody goes to hell ? Who
78 RELIGION
tries to make people bad? What do bad people
suffer in hell? How long will they be in fire?
Who will laugh at them when they are in the fire ?
What do good people have in heaven? Whom
will they be with ? Who will love them ? How
long will heaven last ? How long will hell last ?
What was God willing to do for bad people
before they died ? What did they have to do if
they wanted God to forgive them? What did
they have to be sorry for? What did they have
to promise God ?
If bad people had come back to God, where
would they be now? With whom would they be
in heaven? With whom are they in hell? How
long do they have to stay there? Who hates
them there ?
Who will never see God? When could they
have turned back to God? What could they
have done before they died? What was God
willing to do for them? But to whom did they
listen ?
Just think, how awful that would be ! To be
away from God forever ! To be with devils and
bad people forever ! No wonder you pray every
day. No wonder you try to be good always.
Forever means eternity. Can you say eternity?
Tell me now what happens to bad people when
HELL 79
they die? What kind of place is hell? Who
will be there? What will the devils do to the
people in hell? What will the bad people suffer
in hell ? Who will hate one another in hell ?
How long will bad people have to stay in hell ?
Who will never see God? What should they
have done before they died? When is it too late
to ask God to forgive them ? Yes, children, God
is very kind and good and loving. He is willing
to forgive everybody that tries to be good. He
wants everybody to be good and to go to heaven.
Every day, I am sure, you thank God for helping
you to be good.
Test Questions: 1. What kind of people go to hell?
2. Who are the bad people? 3. How long do bad people
have to stay in hell ? 4. Who will never see God ?
TWELFTH LESSON
The Ten Commandments
God gave us the Ten Commandments.
God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses for us.
The Catholic Church teaches us the Ten Commandments.
God gave us the Ten Commandments to make us good.
Now, children, I would like to have you tell
me again about your father and mother. You
told me all they do for you. You told me how
they love you.
What kind of children do your parents want
you to be? Who tell you what you should do?
Who tell you what you should not do? Of
course, they do. And I am sure you try to obey
them always.
Why do you think your parents tell you what
to do ? What do they want you to know ? Why
do they want you to know what is right and what
is wrong ? Why do they want you to know how
to be good ?
So your parents make some rules for you.
There are some things they want you to do. That
is a rule to tell you what to do. There are some
80
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 81
things they tell you not to do. That is a rule to
show you what not to do.
What kind of things does God want you to do ?
What kind of things does God tell you not to do ?
Then, God made some rules for you, too. Do
you know what God's rules are called ? They are
called Commandments. God gave us the Com-
mandments to tell us what we should do and to
tell us what we should not do.
Do you know how many Commandments God
gave us? God gave us Ten Commandments.
What kind of children does God want you to be ?
How do you know how to be good? What does
God tell you? How many Commandments did
God give us ? When did God tell you what is
right and what is wrong? What do the Ten
Commandments tell us? Why did God give us
the Ten Commandments ?
Just think how good God is ! He wants us to
know what to do so that we can be good and go
to heaven. You see how God loves you. He
wants us to know what is wrong so that we will
keep from it. That is why He gave us the Ten
Commandments.
Now, children, did you ever hear about Moses ?
I will tell you about him. Moses was a very holy
man. He lived a long, long time ago. He was
82 RELIGION
born about three thousand years ago. There
was a very wicked king then. He made all the
mothers throw their little boy babies into the
river. Of course, they tried to hide their babies
so that the king could not find them.
Moses was a very pretty little baby. His
mother loved him very much, so she put him into
a basket and left him on the edge of the river;
then his sister watched so that nothing would
harm him.
Soon the king's daughter came down to the river.
She was not wicked like her father. There she
found the pretty little baby in the basket. When
she saw how pretty he was, she made up her mind
to keep him. When she began to look around
for some one to take care of him his sister went
and told his mother.
Then the baby's mother came over there. But
the king's daughter didn't know that she was
little Moses' mother. So she asked her if she
would come with her and take care of the little boy.
You can imagine how happy Moses' mother
was ! She took care of the baby until he grew up.
She taught Moses to love God very much ; so he
became a very holy man. God loved him very
much ; He made him the leader of his people.
Once God told Moses to go up into a high
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 83
mountain. Moses went and prayed there for
many days. One day there was a great storm of
thunder and lightning. Then God appeared to
Moses and gave him the Ten Commandments.
Now tell me the story of Moses. What happened
to Moses when he was a baby? What did his
mother do? How did she make a good man out
of Moses? What did she teach him? What did
God tell Moses to do? What did God do on the
mountain ? What did God give to Moses ? How
did God send the Ten Commandments to us ?
Children, you have often told me that God
wants you to be good. You told me how God
wants you to know what to do to be good. He
has given you many good people to help you be
good.
Why did God give you your father and mother ?
What does God want your father and mother to
teach you? Whom did God send to go with you
all the time? Why did God give you your
guardian angel ? What does your guardian angel
do for you ? Why does he watch over you ?
And God wants you to know what to do. What
did our Lord and the Apostles teach ? What Church
teaches us what our Lord and the Apostles
taught ? Who gave us the Catholic Church ?
What Church teaches us the Ten Commandments ?
84 RELIGION
Just see how many things God has done to help
you be good ! It shows how much He loves you.
Do you know in what book the Ten Command-
ments are written ? They are written in the Bible.
Now, if some one asked you how you know the
Ten Commandments, what would you tell him?
What Church teaches us the Ten Commandments ?
Who sent the Catholic Church to teach us ? Who
told the Catholic Church to teach us the Ten
Commandments ?
Who tells us what the Catholic Church teaches ?
Who sent the priest to tell us what the Catholic
Church teaches? What does the priest teach in
the church ?
What do the Ten Commandments tell you?
What did God give us to tell us how to be good?
How does God tell you what you should not do?
Who gave us the Ten Commandments? How
did God send us the Ten Commandments ? Why
did God give us the Ten Commandments ? How
do the Ten Commandments show that God loves us ?
How many people does God want to be good?
Why does God want everybody to be good?
Where does God want us all to go when we
die? Why does God want everybody to go to
heaven? Why does God want us with Him in
heaven ?
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 85
Why do you keep the Commandments ? What
kind of people keep the Commandments ? Whom
do you obey when you keep the Commandments ?
What kind of people do not keep the Com-
mandments ? What can you do to help bad
people ? What can you ask God to do for them ?
When will God forgive them? What kind of
people are happy in the world? What kind of
people are miserable ?
Tell me now, children, about the Ten Com-
mandments. Who gave us the Ten Command-
ments? How did God give them to us? WThat
happened to Moses? What did Moses do on the
mountain? What did God give him? How do
we know the Ten Commandments ? What Church
teaches them to us? In what book are they
written? Why did God give us the Ten Com-
mandments ?
I am glad, children, you know all about the
Ten Commandments. You see how much God
loves you. He wants you to know how to be good
all the time. He will love you more than ever
because you try always to be good.
Test Questions: 1. Who gave us the Ten Command-
ments? 2. To whom did God give the Ten Command-
ments? 3. What Church teaches us the Ten Command-
ments ? 4. Why did God give us the Ten Commandments ?
THIRTEENTH LESSON
The First Commandment x
"I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt not have strange
gods before me."
The First Commandment tells us to serve God.
We must believe in God.
We must hope in God.
We must love God above all things.
Well, children, you told me about the Ten
Commandments. Tell me about them again
to-day. Who gave us the Ten Commandments?
What Church teaches us the Ten Commandments ?
Why did God give us the Ten Command-
ments ? Why does God want you to be good ?
Children, you have often told me many fine
things about our Heavenly Father. Who is our
Heavenly Father? Why do you pray to God
every day? Why do you go to church all the
time ? Whom do you visit there? Whose house
is the church ?
Who gave you to your father and mother?
Who made the world? Who rules the world?
Who made heaven? Where is our true home?
1 It will be well to have the children memorize the Commandments.
86
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT 87
Who is the Lord of heaven and earth ? How
long has God ruled the world ? Who takes care
of everybody in the world? Who takes care of
the angels ?
How much does God know? How much can
God do? Where is God? How many persons
are there in God? Who are the three persons?
What do you call the three persons all together?
How long has God been God ?
Do you know, children, what the pagans used
to think? They used to think there were many
gods. They didn't know there was but one God.
That is why God said in the First Command-
ment: "I am the Lord thy God." And He
wanted everybody to know that the pagan gods
were false, so He said: "thou shalt not have
strange gods before me."
If somebody asked you how you show that you
love God, what would you say? Why do you
pray to God? What do you ask God to do for
you? For what do you thank God? When do
you obey God? Whom are you obeying when
you obey your parents ? Whom are you obeying
when you are good? Whom are you obeying
when you do good to others? Whom are you
obeying when you love everybody? Whom are
you obeying when you go to church ?
88 RELIGION
Yes, children, I know you always try to do what
God wants you to do. You want to obey God
always. That means to serve God. When you
obey God you serve Him. That is what the First
Commandment tells us to do. It tells us to
serve God. It tells us to do all that God wants
us to do. It tells us that God is our Lord and
our God.
Why do you always try to do what God wants
you to do? What do people do when they love
God ? Whom do you serve when you obey God ?
What does the First Commandment tell you to
do? What Commandment tells you to serve
God? What are some of the things you do to
serve God?
Now, children, what kind of people do you
believe? Why do you believe what your father
and mother tell you ? What kind of people always
tell the truth ?
Why did God tell us many things about Him-
self? To whom did God speak? Who spoke
to the patriarchs and prophets? From whom
does all truth come?
Yes, children, God is truth. God is all-good
and all -holy. All that comes from Him has to
be true. How do you know what God told us?
What Church teaches us all that God told us?
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT 89
Who told the Catholic Church that? Who sent
the Catholic Church to teach us? Why do you
believe all that the Catholic Church teaches?
From what holy book do we learn about God?
Who wrote the Bible? How did God write the
Bible? How do we know what the words of the
Bible mean? Why do you believe all that is in
the Bible?
Just think, children, how good God is ! He
tells us many wonderful things about Himself
and about heaven and about the angels. How
happy you are to know these things ! Do you
know what it means to believe all that God has
told us? It means to have faith. So you have
faith. You have faith in God. All good people
have faith.
Now, tell me what it means to have faith.
Why are we happy to believe in God? Where
does all truth come from? How much does God
know? How do we know what God told us?
What Church teaches us all that God told us ?
What does it mean to believe all that God has
told us? What does it mean to have faith?
What kind of people have faith ?
How many people have to have faith to go to
heaven? Whom does it please when we have
faith? What prayer do you say to tell God that
90 RELIGION
you have faith in Him ? Say the Act of Faith.
What are you happy to believe? Why do you
believe all that God told us ? What does it mean
to have faith ? Why do we have to have faith ?
Of course, you know little babies can go to
heaven. They are not old enough to have faith.
They have only to be baptized. But everybody
else has to have faith if he wants to go to heaven.
What kind of people always try to give us what
they promise us ? When you promise anything
what do you always try to do ?
Now, tell me what has God promised to do for
us when we die? What has God promised to
give us in heaven? How long has God promised
to make us happy in heaven ?
Why are you sure that God will give us all that
He has promised us ? But what do we have to
do to get to heaven? Who has promised to help
us to be good ? When do you ask God to help
you? How often do you pray?
Whom does God send to tell you how to be good ?
Who gave you your parents ? How does God
help you to know the truth ? How do you know
what to believe? What Church did God send to
teach you the truth? What does that show
about God ? How do you know that God is keep-
ing His promise to help you to be good?
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT 91
Yes, children, God is so good and so holy that
we can be always sure that He will keep all His
promises. When we are sure that God will keep
His promises, we have hope. We hope in God.
All good people hope in God. How happy you
are because you hope in God. Hope makes
people happy. We have hope when we believe
for sure that God will keep all His promises.
Now, why do you hope in God? What does
it mean to hope in God? What does it mean to
believe for sure that God will keep all His promises ?
What has God promised to us ?
Why does God want us all to go to heaven?
Why are you sure that God will keep all His
promises? What did God promise to help us
do? How is God keeping that promise? How
is God helping you to be good ?
Yes, children, God helps you every day ; God
does great things for you. You will soon learn
about other great things that God has done for
you. You will learn about our Lord. You will
learn more about the Catholic Church. You
will learn about the Sacraments.
Why is God pleased when you hope in Him?
If somebody asked you what it means to hope in
God, what would you tell him? Why must
everybody hope in God?
92 RELIGION
What kind of people always try to keep their
promises ? Why are you sure that God will keep
all His promises ? What prayer do you say to
tell God that you are sure He will keep all His
promises ? Say the Act of Hope.
Of course, children, you can tell me about God's
great love for us. You know so many wonderful
things that God has done for us. You know that
God is our Heavenly Father.
If somebody asked you how you know that
God loves you, what would you tell him? Sup-
pose he didn't know where all the people in the
world come from, what would you tell him?
Suppose he didn't know how we got this beautiful
world to live in, what would you tell him?
Suppose he didn't know how we get things to
live with, what would you tell him ?
Suppose he didn't know who made the sun and
the moon and the stars, what would you tell him ?
Suppose he didn't know about our guardian
angels, what would you tell him? Suppose he
didn't know what God has for us when we die,
what would you tell him?
Why do you love God so much? How do you
show your love for God ? Why do you like to do
all that God tells you? What do people do for
God when they love Him ?
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT 93
Why do you think God wants us in heaven?
How long will we love God in heaven ? What
good things come from God? Why do you love
God better than anything in the world? Where
do all good things come from ?
Why do you love all the people in the world?
Whose children are they ? Why do you try to be
kind to everybody ? To whom do all the people
in the world belong ? What does God want them
all to have after they die ? What prayer do you
say to tell God that you love Him ? Say the Act
of Love.
What does the First Commandment tell us to
do? What do you do when you serve God?
What must you do when God tells you anything ?
How did God tell us many things ?
What does it mean to believe in God? What
must we believe when God promises us some-
thing ? What has God promised us ? What does
it mean to hope in God ? Why do you love God
above all things ?
What do we have to believe if we want to go to
heaven ? What does it mean to have faith ?
What must we hope if we want to get to heaven ?
What does it mean to hope in God?
Yes, children, God is good and loving. We are
happy to serve Him. We are happy to believe
94 liELIGION
in Him ; we are happy to hope in Him ; we are
happy to love Him.
Test Questions: 1. What does the First Command-
ment tell us? 2. In whom must we believe? 3. In
whom must we hope? 4. Whom must we love above all
things ?
FOURTEENTH LESSON
The Second Commandment
'Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain."
The Second Commandment tells us to honor God's name.
The name of Jesus is the most holy of all names.
We honor the names of all the saints.
Only bad people curse and swear.
You have told me often, children, how you love
your father and mother. Of course, you want
everybody else to speak well of them.
Why do you speak well of everybody ? How
does God want you to act to everybody ? Why
does He want you to be kind to everybody ? Why
do you always speak well of your father and
mother ? WThat does it show when you speak well
of them ?
How do you show that you love your parents ?
When do you honor anybody's name? Whom
do you love above all things? What has God
done for you? Who gave you life?
What kind of people always honor God's name ?
When do you speak God's name with love?
95
96 RELIGION
When do you talk with God? What kind of
people take God's name in vain ? Who tells
them to take God's name in vain ?
God is great and good and holy. He is our
Father in heaven. We love Him better than any-
thing in the world. That is why we honor His
holy name. We must never speak God's name
unless we say it with love and respect.
How do all good people speak God's name?
Why do you honor God's name? What name
does the Second Commandment tell you to honor ?
Who gave us the Second Commandment? Why
did God give us the Second Commandment?
Why is it a sin to speak God's name without
respect? What Commandment do people break
when they speak God's name without respect?
Who told us to honor God's name ? When did
God tell you to honor His name? To whom did
God give the Commandments? Which Church
teaches us what the Commandments mean?
Who gave us the Catholic Church ?
Why do good people bow their head when they
hear the name of Jesus ? What is the most holy
of all names? Whom do we call Jesus? Who
came to save us from hell? Why did our Lord
come to save us from hell? Why do we honor
our Lord's name so much ?
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT 97
Yes, children, we love and honor the most
holy name of Jesus. Our Lord is our God and our
Saviour. He loves us more than we can ever
know.
What do good people do when they hear the
holy name of Jesus? Why do they bow their
head ? What name is the most holy of all names ?
What did our Lord do to show how He loves
us ? Why did our Lord die for us ? What did
our Lord come to save us from?
Why do good men take off their hats when they
hear the holy name of Jesus? How do good
people always speak our Lord's name ? Why
do they always speak our Lord's name with
respect? Who is our Lord? Why do we call
Jesus our Saviour ?
Why do you bow the head when you hear the
holy name of Jesus ? Why do you honor the holy
name of Jesus ?
Some people speak our Lord's name without
respect. Perhaps they do not know how much
our Lord loves us. Perhaps they do not know
that our Lord died for us.
How do you feel for people that speak our
Lord's name without respect? What can you do
for them ? What can you ask God for them ?
How do you think the Blessed Virgin spoke
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our Lord's name? Why did she speak it with
so much love? How did St. Joseph speak our
Lord's name ?
Do you know how old our Lord was when the
Blessed Virgin gave Him His name ? He was just
eight days old. You know the angel told the
Blessed Virgin what our Lord's name was to be.
That was before our Lord was born. They took
our Lord to the temple when they gave Him His
name. That day is the Feast of Circumcision.
It is a Holy Day. Do you know what day of the
year it is ? It is New Year's Day.
Why do you think the angels honor our Lord's
holy name? Why do you think the angels love
and honor our Lord's name so much? Who
knows best how good and holy our Lord is ?
What person of the Blessed Trinity is our Lord ?
What name do you honor most? What do you
do when you hear the holy name of Jesus ? What
do good men do ?
What can you do for those who speak our
Lord's name without respect ? Why is it a sin to
speak our Lord's name without respect? What
Commandment do people break when they speak
our Lord's name without respect? Whom do
they disobey when they break the Second Com-
mandment ?
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT 99
Whom do you think our Lord loved best on
earth? Who is our Lord's mother? Where is
our Lord's mother now ?
Who held our Lord in her arms when He was
a little baby? Who kissed Him and sang to
Him? Why do you think our Lord wants you
to love His blessed mother?
Why do we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary?
Who is God's mother? Why do good people
honor the name of Mary ? How many of us does
our Lord's mother love? What does our Lord's
mother do for you ? For whom does she pray ?
To whom does she pray? Who is the Blessed
Virgin's Son?
Why do you think our Lord likes to listen to
His blessed mother? What will He do for us
when she prays for us ? What can you do to show
that you love our Lord's mother? What does it
show when you pray to her? What prayer to
our Lord's mother do you know ?
Of course, you have heard of many saints,
children. You know St. Joseph. You know
St. Peter and St. Paul and many other saints.
I will tell you about the saints. They were
people who loved God very much. They lived
all their lives just to love God. They were very
holy. They did only what God wanted them to
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do. They prayed very much. They did good
to everybody. They thought about God every
day of their lives as much as they could.
The saints would rather die than do wrong.
They didn't care for money and such things. Of
course, God loved them very much. Sometimes
God would let them do wonderful things. Some-
times He even let them bring dead people back
to life. That would be a miracle, you know.
When the saints died, God took them to heaven.
What do you think the saints can do for us?
What will .God do for us when the saints pray for
us? Why do we honor the saints? Whose
friends are they ? Who are God's friends ? Who
loves them very much? With whom are they
in heaven ? What can you do to honor the saints ?
Who is pleased when you pray to the saints ?
How can the saints help us ? What can you ask
them to do for you ? To whom do they pray for
us? What do you answer when you say the
Litany of the Saints ?
Now, children, tell me about the Blessed
Virgin. Who is her Son? Why do you honor
the Blessed Virgin? How do you show that you
love her? What does she do for you?
Why do you honor the saints ? What can you
tell me about the saints? What kind of people
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT 101
were they? What made them so good? How
do you show that you honor the saints? What
do they do for you?
Who do you think was the first ever to curse
and swear? Why do the devils curse and swear?
Why do they hate God? What kind of people
curse and swear ? From whom do you think bad
people learned to curse and swear? What Com-
mandment do they break when they curse and
swear? Whom do they disobey when they break
the Second Commandment ?
Whom do people insult when they curse and
swear? What does the Second Commandment
tell us to do? What is the most holy name?
What other names do we honor? What kind of
people curse and swear?
Thank God, children, you will always honor
God's holy name. If you hear others take God's
name in vain or curse and swear, I am sure you
will feel sorry for them. Ask God to forgive
them. Perhaps they don't know how bad it is.
Perhaps they forget sometimes.
Test Questions: 1. What does the Second Command-
ment tell us? 2. What is the most holy of all names?
3. What other names do we honor? 4. What kind of
people curse and swear?
FIFTEENTH LESSON
The Third Commandment
"Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day."
The Third Commandment tells us to keep holy the
Lord's day.
Holy Days are like Sunday.
We must go to Mass on Sundays and Holy Days.
We go to Vespers and Devotions on Sundays and Holy
Days.
Tell me now, children, about the days in the
week. How many days are there in the week?
What do people do on Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday ? What
do we do on Sunday? Whose day is Sunday?
What day belongs entirely to God ?
How many days in the week does God give
people for themselves? On how many days does
God help us? On how many days do we pray
to God? Which day belongs to God?
Yes, children, the whole day Sunday belongs
to God. We give that day to Him to show that
we love Him. Do you know what the Lord's
day used to be called? It used to be called the
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THE THIRD COMMANDMENT 103
Sabbath day. How does God want us to keep
His day ? Why does He want us to keep it holy ?
What kind of people are glad to give all day
Sunday to God ?
Tell me, now, how do good people like to
spend Sunday? Whom do they visit on Sun-
day ? Where is God's house ? Why do you pray
on Sundays more than on other days? On what
day should we read more good books? Why
does God not want people to work on Sundays?
To whom does Sunday belong? What do good
people try to keep from on Sunday ? Why do they
try to keep from working on Sundays? Of course,
you know people have to work sometimes. Then
it is not their fault. God always knows when
people have to work.
Who gave us the Third Commandment ? Why
did God give us the Third Commandment?
What does the Third Commandment tell us
to do? Why do you always go to church on
Sundays? Who wants you to go to church on
Sundays ? What does it show when you keep the
Lord's day holy ?
When you love God, what do you like to do for
God? Why do you do all that God tells you to
do? What can you thank God for? When do
you thank God?
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Do you know, children, there are other days
besides Sundays which belong to God? They
are called Holy Days. There are six of them
every year. They belong to God just like Sunday
does.
How do you keep Sunday holy ? What do you
do to make Sunday holy ? When do you pray
more than on other days ? What do good people
like to read on Sunday ? What do they keep from
doing on Sunday ? What do you do on Holy Days ?
To whom do Holy Days belong? Who wants
us to give Holy Days to God ? How do we know
that God wants us to give Sundays and Holy Days
to Him? What Church tells us what the Third
Commandment means? How does the Catholic
Church know what the Third Commandment
means ?
I will tell you about the Holy Days. One of
them is our Lord's birthday. On what day does
Christmas come? Another is the day on which
they took our Lord to the temple to give Him His
name. It is called the Feast of the Circum-
cision. What day is that ? What day of the year
is it? What Holy Day comes on New Year's
Day?
Then another is the day on which our Lord went
up to heaven. It is called the Feast of the Ascen-
THE THIRD COMMANDMENT 105
sion. When did our Lord go up to heaven?
How many days after Easter was it? What
Holy Day comes forty days after Easter?
Then one of the Holy Days is the day on which
our Lord took His blessed mother to heaven.
It is called the Feast of the Assumption. It is
August the fifteenth. Now, what Holy Day comes
on August the fifteenth?
Then on one of the Holy Days we honor all the
saints in heaven. It is November the first. It
is called the Feast of All Saints. Now, what
Holy Day comes on November the first ?
Then there is a Holy Day on which we honor the
Blessed Virgin because she was always free from
sin ; it is December the eighth. It is called the
Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Now, what
Holy Day comes on December the eighth ?
What do we always have to do on Sundays and
Holy Days ? On what days are we bound to hear
Mass? What kind of a sin is it to neglect Mass
on Sundays and Holy Days ?
What Commandment tells us to hear Mass on
Sundays and Holy Days ? What Church tells us
that the Third Commandment means this ? What
kind of people always go to Mass on Sundays
and Holy Days ?
What kind of people go to Mass even when
106 RELIGION
they live far from church? What if they are
tired? What kind of people go to Mass even
when it is raining? Who go to Mass even when
it is very cold? What if it is very, very hot?
You know, children, sometimes people are very
sick. When they are sick in bed, they can't go.
Then they say the prayers of Mass at home.
How often do good people like to go to church ?
Why do they like to go as often as they can?
Whom do they visit when they go to church?
Whose house is the church ?
What does it show when you like to go to
church? What kind of people like to go to
Vespers ? What kind of people like to go to De-
votions ? Whom does it please when you go to
Vespers or Devotions ?
How often is there Mass in the Church ? On
how many days in the week does the priest say
Mass? How often do some people like to go to
Mass? Why is it good to go every day if you
can?
Of course, you know, children, there are many
good people who like to go to Mass every day.
God is pleased when people go to Mass often.
It shows that they love Him.
Now, will you tell me again about the Third
Commandment? What does it tell us to do?
THE THIRD COMMANDMENT 107
What day is the Lord's day? How do you keep
the Lord's day holy? What other days belong
to God ? What do you do on Holy Days ?
What do we have to do on Sundays and Holy
Days ? What kind of sin is it to neglect Mass on
Sundays and Holy Days ? What do you do in the
afternoon or evening? When did God tell you
to do all this ? What Commandment did He give
to tell you ? Thank God, children, that you know
the Third Commandment. You know how to
show your love for God. You know what God
wants you to do.
Test Questions: 1. What does the Third Command-
ment tell us ? 2. What other days are like Sunday ?
3. What must we do on Sundays and Holy Days ? 4. When
do we go to Vespers and Devotions ?
s
SIXTEENTH LESSON
The Fourth Commandment
"Honor thy father and thy mother."
The Fourth Commandment tells us to honor our parents.
The Fourth Commandment tells us to obey our parents.
The Fourth Commandment tells us to love our parents.
The Fourth Commandment tells us to help our parents.
Several times, children, you have told me about
your parents. You told me how your father and
mother take care of you. You told me how they
love you.
Where did you get your parents ? Why do you
love your parents so much ? How do you show
your love for your parents ? How do good chil-
dren speak to their parents ?
How do you think God wants you to act toward
your parents? Who wants you to be respectful
to your parents ? When did God tell you to honor
your parents? What Commandment tells you
that ? What does the Fourth Commandment tell
you to do ?
Why do you honor your parents? Who gave
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THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT 109
them to you? Who wants you to honor your
parents? How do you always speak to your
parents? How do you always act toward your
parents? Who gave us the Fourth Command-
ment? Who teaches us the Fourth Command-
ment?
Children, you have often told me about good
people. How can people be good? What do
they have to do ? Who tells you what God wants
you to do ?
Who tells you that at home ? What do your father
and mother tell you? Who teaches your parents
what to tell you? How does God teach your
parents? What Church teaches them for God?
What do you do when your parents tell you to
do something? Why do you always obey your
parents ? WTio wants you to obey your parents ?
When does God tell you to obey your parents ?
What Commandment tells you to obey your
parents? Who gave us the Fourth Command-
ment? How do we know the Fourth Command-
ment? Where is it written? What Church
teaches us the Fourth Commandment?
Why does the Catholic Church teach us the
Fourth Commandment? Who sent the Catholic
Church to teach us? What is the only Church
that God sent to teach us?
110 RELIGION
So now, children, how can you know at home
what God wants you to do? Whom did God
give you to tell you? Whom are you really
obeying when you obey your parents? What
kind of children always obey their parents?
What do good children do if they forget some-
times? What do they try to do the next time?
What do they promise their parents? How
quickly do good children do what their parents tell
them to do ? If you are playing and your parents
tell you to do something, when do you obey ?
So, then, you try to be obedient all the time.
That pleases God. He will bless you and make
you very good when you always obey your parents.
What is the right way to obey ? When do you
do what you are told? Why do you obey at
once? What do you do when your parents tell
you something you don't like to do? Why do
you obey at once then, too? Why do you think
you ought to obey cheerfully? How can you
obey your parents to make them happy ?
That is right. No matter what you have to
do, try to be cheerful and glad. Then you will
help make others happy. Good children try
always to keep from pouting. They are always
willing and glad to do whatever they are told to do.
Why do you always obey your parents? Who
THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT 111
wants you to obey your parents? How do you
obey your parents? How do you answer your
parents ?
Why do you always speak with respect to your
parents? Who wants you to speak with respect
to your parents? What does the Fourth Com-
mandment tell us to do?
How do you know that you must obey your
parents ? What Church teaches you to obey
your parents ? Why does the Catholic Church
teach you to obey your parents? Who sent the
Catholic Church to teach us?
You told me God gave you your parents. Yes,
God gave you your parents to care for you and
to teach you and to love you. See how good God
is to you.
What two people do you love best on earth ?
Why do you love your father and mother so much ?
Why do they love you and care for you? Who
wants you to love your parents ? Why does God
want you to love your parents1?
How long will you love your father and mother ?
How can you show your love for your parents
after they die? How long can you pray for
them ? Where will you love your parents after you
die ? How long will you be with your father and
mother in heaven ?
112 RELIGION
What kind of children love their parents very
much ? How do you show that you love your
parents ? What shows that you love your parents
when they tell you to do something? How do
you show that you love your parents when you
speak to them ?
How do you act toward your parents when you
love them? What do you do for your parents
when you say your prayers? How often do you
pray for them? What does God do for your
father and mother when you pray for them ?
Very well, children, I am very happy to hear
you say those good things about your parents.
Tell me again. Why do you love your parents
so much? How do you show that you love
your parents? How do you always speak to
them?
How do you always act toward them? What
do you do for them every day ? When do you ask
God to bless your father and mother? What
can children do when their parents die? What
does it show when you pray for your parents?
Who wants you to love your parents ?
You told me something that pleases me very
much, children. You told me how much you love
your parents. What do your parents do for
you? Who work for you? What did they do
THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT 113
for you when you were a baby? Why do they
do all those things for you?
Why do you like to help your parents? How
do you show your love for them? When will
you be able to help them more? What will you
be able to do for them when you are big? How
long will you help them ?
Who wants you to help your parents? When
did God tell you that He wants you to help your
parents? How do you know that the Fourth
Commandment means that, too? What Church
teaches you what the Fourth Commandment
means ?
Just see how God loves your father and mother !
That is why God wants you to honor them and
love them and help them.
Tell me now all about the Fourth Command-
ment. What does it tell us to do ? How do you
honor your parents? What do you do when
they tell you to do something? How quickly
must you obey them?
How do you show that you love them? What
can you do for them every day? What can you
do for them after they die? How long will you
help your parents ?
God will bless you, children, because you honor
and obey and love your parents. Thank God,
114 RELIGION
then, because He gave you a father and mother
to love you and take care of you.
Test Questions: 1. What does the Fourth Command-
ment tell us ? 2. Whom does it tell us to obey ? 3. Whom
does it tell us to love? 4. Whom does it tell us to help?
SEVENTEENTH LESSON
The Fifth Commandment
"Thou shalt not kill."
The Fifth Commandment tells us to be good to every-
body.
We must love everybody.
We must take care of our health.
Bad people do harm to others.
Will you tell me again, children, about the
Commandments? Where do they come from?
Why did God give us the Commandments ? What
is the First Commandment ? What does it tell us
to do? What is the Second Commandment?
What does it tell us to do? What is the Third
Commandment ? What does it tell us to do ?
What is the Fourth Commandment? What does
it tell us to do ?
Of course, you know one of the worst things in
the world is to kill anybody. That is the first
thing the Fifth Commandment tells everybody
not to do.
Why are many good people kind to you ? How
U5
116 RELIGION
many people love you? Who are kind to you at
home? What do your father and mother do for
you? Why do you like to be kind to others?
Who wants you to be kind to everybody ?
Why does God want you to be kind to every-
body? Whom does God love? Whose Father
is God? Where does everybody come from?
Whose children are they? Why are you kind to
everybody? Why did God give us the Fifth
Commandment? To how many people does God
want us to be kind? What does God do for all
the people in the world ? Who takes care of them
all?
So you like to be good and kind to everybody.
What would you like to do for people that are
very poor? What would you like to do if you
should see somebody in danger?
What would you do if you saw an old lady
carrying a basket? What would you do if you
saw an old man's hat blow off? What would
you do if you were sitting down and a lady was
standing? What would you do if an old man
had no place to sit down ? Who is pleased when
you are kind to others like that?
Yes, children, God is pleased whenever you
are kind to others. He wants you to be good and
kind to everybody.
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT 117
Children, you have often told me of the wonder-
ful things God has done for us all. Will you tell
me some of them now? Where do we all come
from ? Where did the world come from ? Why
did God make the world?
How does God help us to be good? Whom
did God give you to take care of you? Whom
does God send with you wherever you go ? What
will God do for you when you die ?
How many people does God want to go to
heaven? Why does God want everybody to
go to heaven? How many people does God
love ? Why do you love everybody ? What does
it show when you are kind to people ?
What can you do for all the people in the world ?
For how many people can you pray ? How, then,
can you help all the people in the world? What
will God do for all the people in the world when
you pray for them ?
Tell me now, children, why do you love all the
people in the world? Whose children are they?
Whom does God love? What kind of people
does God want all the people to be ? What kind
of people do you want them to be? What will
God do if you pray for all the people in the world ?
How can you help others to be good ? What kind
of people always speak kindly to others? Why
118 RELIGION
do you always try to keep from getting angry
with others ?
Of course, I know you try to keep from getting
angry. You try to be good and kind always.
If good children forget sometimes and get angry,
they make up right away. Why do you like to
be kind to everybody? Who wants you to be
kind to everybody? Why do you love every-
body? Who else loves them?
Who gave you your life? Why did God give
you your life? What does God want you to be
on earth? What does God want you to know?
What Church did God send to teach you ? What
does the Catholic Church teach us?
What does the First Commandment tell us to
do ? What do we do when we serve God ? Why
do we do all that God tells us to do ? Why do you
think God wants us to live on earth ? Whom do
we serve on earth?
Who gives us our health ? Why do you think
we ought to take care of our health ? Who wants
us to take care of our health ? Why do you always
try to avoid danger ? When do people sometimes
get killed ? What do you do when there is danger ?
How do people harm their health sometimes by
eating? Why is it a sin if anybody makes him-
self sick by eating? How do people sometimes
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT 119
harm their health by drinking? When do they
commit a sin by drinking?
To how many people did God give life? Why
does God want you to be careful about others'
lives, too? Why are you careful not to hurt
anybody? Who wants you to do that?
Why are you careful not to fight ? If anybody
forgets and fights, what should he do? Whose
pardon must he ask ? What must he ask God to
do ? When will God forgive him ? Why are you
careful not to quarrel with others? How does
God want you to act toward others?
To whom do all the people in the world belong ?
Why did God make them all? Why does God
want them all in heaven? Why do you like to
be kind to everybody? Who wants you to be
kind to everybody? Why are you careful not
to harm anybody ?
What kind of people do harm to others ? What
do they have to do if they want God to forgive
them? Whose pardon do they have to ask?
What must they try to make up for ? What must
they promise ?
So now, children, you know how God wants you
to take care of your health and life. You know
how God wants you to act toward others. What
does the Fifth Commandment tell us to do?
120 RELIGION
Whom must we love? Why must we take care
of our health? What kind of people do harm to
others ?
Thank God for His goodness and love, children.
Every day He is teaching you more and more how
to love and serve Him.
Test Questions: 1. What does the Fifth Command-
ment tell us? 2. How many people must we love? 3.
What must we do with our health? 4. What kind of
people do harm to others ?
EIGHTEENTH LESSON
The Sixth and Ninth Commandments
The Sixth Commandment :
"Thou shalt not commit adultery."
The Ninth Commandment :
"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife."
The Sixth and Ninth Commandments tell us to be pure.
We must use our body as God wants us to use it.
We must use our eyes right.
We must use our hands right.
Now, children, I remember all the wonderful
things you told me about God. You said that
God made you for heaven. You said that God
wants you to be with Him forever.
To whom do you belong ? How do you happen
to belong to God ? How long will your soul live ?
What will happen to your body some day ? When
will your body come back to life again ? How long
will you have your body in heaven ?
Who tells us how to use our body ? How does
God want us to use our body? What kind of
people use their body right? How does God
121
122 RELIGION
want you to eat? How does God want you to
drink? Whom do people disobey when they
eat too much? When do people disobey God by
drinking? What does God want us to do with
our body ? Who wants us to do good with our
body?
Who made people so that they could think?
What kind of things does God want you to think
about ? What kind of things do good people keep
from thinking about? Whom do people disobey
when they think about bad things?
What kind of people keep from thinking about
bad things ? What kind of people use their
bodies right? What kind of people are pure?
What kind of people keep from doing things they
should be ashamed to do ? Who keep from think-
ing about things they would be ashamed of ? Who
keep from talking about things they would be
ashamed of ?
Now, children, if somebody asked you how to
be pure, what would you tell him? What would
you tell him about his body? To whom does it
belong? How should he use it?
What should he keep from thinking about?
What should he keep from doing? What should
he keep from talking about? What two Com-
mandments tell us to be pure? Why does God
THE SIXTH AND NINTH COMMANDMENTS 123
want everybody to be pure? Where does God
want people to go when they die? When shall
we have our bodies again ?
What do good people always keep from looking
at? Why do good people always keep from
looking at things they would be ashamed of?
How does God want us to use our eyes?
What does God want us to keep from looking
at ? Why does God want us to keep from looking
at bad things? Why do you turn away if some-
body tries to show you a bad picture? Whom
does any one disobey if he looks at bad pictures ?
Why do you turn your eyes away from bad
things ? Who wants you to be pure ? What
kind of people keep from looking at anything they
would be ashamed of? Who gave us our eyes?
What does God want you to keep from looking at ?
What kind of words does God want you to use ?
Why do good people keep from saying bad words ?
What is it when anybody says bad words ? Whom
is he disobeying? What kind of things do good
people keep from talking about? Who keep
from talking about things they would be ashamed
of?
When does God see us ? What kind of children
does God want you to be? Who knows always
what you are looking at ? What kind of children
124 RELIGION
keep from looking at things they would be ashamed
of?
Of course, good children keep from looking at
things if they would be ashamed to have their
father and mother see them. What kind of
children keep from saying things they would be
ashamed to have their father and mother know?
Who knows always what you are thinking
about ?
What kind of things do you keep from listening
to? Why do you always keep from listening to
bad words? Who wants you to keep from
listening to bad words? What is it when any
one listens to bad words ? Whom is he disobeying ?
What would you do if somebody tried to say
bad words to you? Why would you turn away
from him? What would you do if somebody
tried to talk about bad things to you? What
would you do if the devil tried to make you think
about bad things ? Whom would you ask to help
you?
How do you ask God to help you ? What will
your guardian angel do if you ask him? Who
will help you to be pure all your life? When
can you ask God to help you be pure ? How often
would you like God to help you be pure? Who
made the angels so pure ? Why do people have to
THE SIXTH AND NINTH COMMANDMENTS 125
be pure to go to heaven? With whom will they
be in heaven? Who do you think is the purest
creature that ever lived on earth? Was it our
Lord's mother? What can you ask the Blessed
Virgin to do for you? When will the Blessed
Virgin help you be pure?
Yes, children, pray often to the Blessed Virgin.
She is as pure as the angels. She loves all that
are pure and she likes to help all that want to be
pure all their lives.
What do good people keep from doing? Why
do they keep from doing things they would be
ashamed of? Who gave people their hands?
WTiat did God want people to do with their hands ?
How does God want us to use our hands ?
Yes, God wants everybody to do good. That
is why He gives us life. That is why He gives
us hands to do things with.
What do good people keep their hands away
from? Why do they keep their hands away
from bad things? Who wants them to do that?
Now, children, thank God you know how to
be pure all your life. You know what God wants
you to do, so that you will always be pure.
What can you do for people that are not pure ?
What can you ask God for them? How many
people does God want to be pure? How many
126 RELIGION
people have to be pure to get to heaven ? Why do
you wish that all the people were pure ?
What do people have to do to be pure? How
do they have to use their bodies ? What must
they keep from thinking about? What do pure
people keep from doing ? What do they keep from
talking about ? What do they keep from listening
to? What do they keep from thinking about?
Who is the purest creature that ever lived on
earth ? Who is as pure as the angels ? What will
the Blessed Virgin do for you ?
Thank God, children, because He has taught
you how to be pure all your life. There are no
people in the world so miserable as those who are
not pure. Pray for them often. Ask God to
have mercy on them. God loves those who are
pure ; He wants the pure alone to be with Him
in heaven. Nobody can be good unless he is
pure ; nobody can get to heaven unless he is pure.
Test Questions : 1. What do the Sixth and Ninth Com-
mandments tell us? 2. How must we use our body? 3.
How must we use our eyes? 4. How must we use our
hands ?
NINETEENTH LESSON
The Seventh Commandment
"Thou shalt not steal."
The Seventh Commandment tells us to give to all people
what belongs to them.
Bad people steal.
It is good to give to poor people.
God gives us all that we have.
Now, children, I see that you know many things
about God's Commandments. It is so good that
you know just what God wants you to do. ■ )H
Will you tell me again where we got the Com-
mandments ? How did God give us the Ten
Commandments ? Tell the story of Moses. Why
did God give us the Ten Commandments ? Why
does God want us to be good ?
How do we know what the Ten Commandments
mean? Who sent the Catholic Church to teach
us ? In what holy book are the Commandments
written ?
And so God tells you what is good to do. He
tells you how to love Him and how to do good to
everybody. (Take a book or pencil or something
127
128 RELIGION
and ask) : Whose is this? (To the one to whom
it belongs) : Why do you want to keep it ? Why
can not somebody else keep it? Why would it
be wrong for somebody else to take it ?
Why do you think we always give to others
what belongs to them? Who wants us to give
to others what belongs to them? What Com-
mandment tells us to give to others what belongs
to them ?
Say the Seventh Commandment. What does
it mean to steal? What does anybody do when
he takes what belongs to others? Whom does
he disobey when he steals ? Why do you think
God wants everybody to have what belongs to
him?
Why is it bad to take what belongs to some-
body else? What Commandment tells us that?
What kind of people always give to others what
belongs to them ? What do good people do when
they find something that belongs to others?
Why do they always give it back to the one that
owns it? Who wants them to do that?
Yes, children, good people are always honest.
They give to others what belongs to them, and they
always pay what they owe to others.
Why do good people always give back what they
borrow? Why do they want to give to every-
THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT 129
body what belongs to him? If somebody leaves
something and forgets, why would you tell him
about it or take it to him? Who wants us all
to have what belongs to us?
Why do you always leave other people's things
alone ? How do you know that you ought to give
to everybody what belongs to him ? What Com-
mandment tells you that? Who gave us the
Seventh Commandment? Which Church teaches
us what the Seventh Commandment means?
Who sent the Catholic Church to teach us ?
Why do good people try to keep from breaking
what belongs to others? Who wants people to
pay for what they spoil or break? What Com-
mandment tells them to do that ?
Why are good people always careful with what
belongs to others ? Who wants them to be careful
with other people's things? When did God tell
us that?
Children, I am very glad you know that God
wants you to be careful with what belongs to
others. You know God wants everybody to have
what belongs to him. That is why you try to
keep from breaking or spoiling what belongs to
others.
Children, you know there are some people who
have never had a chance to learn the things that
130 RELIGION
you know about God. Some don't even know
that God loves them. Some don't even know
the Commandments. They don't know that they
should give to others what belongs to them.
Then there are some who don't want to do what
God tells them to do.
What kind of people do you think don't want
to do what God wants them to do? What kind
of people take what belongs to others? Say the
Seventh Commandment. Whom do you obey
when you give to others what belongs to them ?
What kind of people steal? Whom do people
disobey when they steal ? When will God forgive
people that steal ? For what must they be sorry ?
What must they promise? What must they pay
back?
Why do you pity people that steal ? What can
you do for them ? Why would you forgive people
that steal from you? Why would you ask God
to forgive them, too ?
Whom does God love? Why does God love
all the people in the world? Where do all the
people in the world come from? To whom do
they belong ?
Why do you love all the people in the world?
What would you like to do for poor people ? Why
does God let some people be very poor? Whom
THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT 131
does He want to help them ? Who wants you to
help poor people ? How do you show that you love
poor people ?
Who made us all? Who made the world?
Who gave us life? Who takes care of us? Who
gives us all that we have? Why does God give
us all that we have ? Why does God love us ?
How do you think God wants us to use the
things that He gives us? Who wants us to do
good with the things that God gives us? Why
does God let some people be very rich? Whom
does God tell to help the poor people most?
What do good people thank God for ?
Now, tell me again about the Seventh Com-
mandment. What does the Seventh Command-
ment tell us to do? What do good people do
when they find something? What do they do if
they break or spoil what belongs to others?
What do people that steal have to do if they want
God to forgive them ?
Yes, children, good people are honest. They
respect what belongs to others. They try to
help others as God helps us.
Test Questions: 1. What does the Seventh Command-
ment tell us ? 2. What kind of people steal ? 3. To whom
is it good to give ? 4. Who gives us all that we have ?
TWENTIETH LESSON
The Eighth Commandment
"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."
The Eighth Commandment tells us to tell the truth.
Good people always tell the truth.
Bad people tell lies.
We must say only good things about others.
Well, children, you have told me many things
that God wants us to do. You have told me much
about the Commandments.
Why did God give us the Commandments?
Why does He want us to know how to be good?
Why do you always try to obey God ? What will
God give you if you obey Him ?
Who made you so that you can talk? Who
wants you always to tell the truth? What kind
of people always tell the truth? Whom do you
obey when you tell the truth ? In what Com-
mandment did God tell us to tell the truth ?
Why do you always tell the truth? What
Commandment tells you to tell the truth ? Whom
do people disobey when they tell lies? What
Commandment do they break?
132
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT 133
Who loves the truth ? Why does God love the
truth? What Church always teaches the truth?
Who wants you to love the truth? God loves
the truth. He loves those who tell the truth
always. We can always believe people who tell
the truth. What kind of people always have
courage to tell the truth? Who wants you to
have courage to tell the truth ?
You know, children, the martyrs died for the
truth. The pagans used to try to make them
deny our holy Faith. They wanted them to say
that they did not believe what the Catholic Church
teaches. If they would say they didn't believe
the pagans would set them free. But if they still
believed they would torture them. Sometimes
they would cut out their tongue, or cut off their
nose and their ears. Sometimes they would
throw them to wild beasts or burn them to death.
But the holy martyrs loved the truth. So they
were happy to die for the truth.
When does it take courage to tell the truth?
How did the martyrs show great courage? For
what did they die? What does the Eighth
Commandment tell you to do ? What Command-
ment tells you to tell the truth? Who is pleased
when you always tell the truth ?
What kind of people tell the truth always no
134 RELIGION
matter what might happen to them? Who loves
the truth? Why does God love the truth?
Why do you love the truth?
Why do we believe all that God tells us ? Why
are we sure that God always tells us what is true ?
Why do we believe all that our Lord and the
Apostles taught ? Why do you believe all that the
Catholic Church teaches ?
Why do you believe all that good people tell
you? WTiy does God want you to tell the truth
always? Whom do you obey when you tell the
truth? What kind of people do you believe?
Why did the martyrs suffer and die ? Where are
the martyrs now?
What can you ask the martyrs to do for you?
What will they do for you if you ask them ? When
will they help you love the truth more ?
What kind of people always tell the truth?
Why do good people always tell the truth ? Why
have they always courage to tell the truth ?
Why do you believe all that the Catholic Church
teaches ? Who sent the Catholic Church to teach the
truth ? Who wants you to love the truth always ?
Who do you think was the first ever to tell a
lie ? Yes, the devil was the first. Do you know
what the devil is often called? He is called the
father of lies.
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT 135
What kind of people tell lies ? Who taught bad
people to tell lies? Why does the devil want
people to lie ? Why is it so bad to tell lies ? Whom
do people disobey when they tell lies ? When will
God forgive people that tell lies ? For what must
they be sorry? What do they have to promise?
What can you do for people that tell lies ?
How many people does God love? Why does
God love all the people in the world? Whose
children are they? How many people do you
love?
How do you think God wants you to speak about
others? Why do you think God wants you to
speak well of others? How many of them does
God love? What is the Eighth Commandment?
Why is it very bad to tell falsehoods about
others? What does anybody have to do if he
tells lies about others? When will God forgive
him? What does he have to make up for?
Whom does he have to ask to forgive him ?
Why do good people keep from telling false-
hoods about others? What Commandments tells
them not to? Why is it wrong to tell other
people's faults? What must anybody do if he
has harmed others that way? Whom must he
ask to forgive him?
Why do you always try to say good things about
136 RELIGION
others? Who wants you to do so? Never talk
about others unless you have something good
to say about them. It is wrong to talk about
other's faults.
What is the Eighth Commandment? What
does the Eighth Commandment tell you to do?
Why does God want you always to tell the truth ?
Who loves the truth ?
Who is the father of lies? Why does the devil
try to make people tell lies? What is the worst
kind of lie? What kind of lie is it to tell false-
hoods about others ?
How do you always like to talk about others?
Why do you keep from telling other people's
faults? Who died for the truth? Why do you
love the truth?
Pray every day, children, and ask God to help
you love the truth. God will help you to be good
and truthful. Thank God for teaching you to
love the truth.
Test Questions: 1. What does the Eighth Command-
ment tell us? 2. What kind of people always tell the
truth? 3. What kind of people tell lies? 4. What kind
of things must we say about others?
TWENTY-FIRST LESSON
The Tenth Commandment
"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods."
The Tenth Commandment tells us not to desire what
belongs to others.
We must be contented with what we have.
God knows best what is good for us.
We must thank God for all that we have.
Children, you have often told me how our
Heavenly Father loves us. Whose children are
we all? Why do we all love one another? Why
do you love everybody ? What does God want us
to do for one another? Who wants us to help
one another?
What does God want us to do for sick people?
What does He want us to do for people that are
very poor? What does God want us to do for
bad people ? What can we ask God to do for bad
people ? Who Wants us all to pray for one another ?
Why are you glad when others are good?
Whom will they love when they are good? Who
gives them all that they need? Who gave them
all life?
137
138 RELIGION
Why are you glad when others have good
things? How many people do you love? Who
gives them their good things ? Why are you glad
when others are happy ? Who makes them happy ?
Why are you glad when others have a beautiful
home? Why do you like to see others happy?
Why are you glad when others learn their lessons
well ? Why are you glad when others are praised ?
That is fine, children. You are happy when
others are happy. You love everybody that God
loves. You like to make others happy. See
how God has given you a kind and loving heart !
He has taught you to love everybody. That is
why you are glad when others have good things.
What Commandment tells us not to desire what
belongs to others ? Say the Tenth Commandment.
Who gave you a kind and loving heart? Who
taught you to love everybody? How much do
you love God ?
You know bad people don't like others to have
better things than they have. That is why you
keep from wishing for what belongs to others.
What people keep from wishing for what be-
longs to others ? Whom do you obey when you
keep from wishing for what belongs to others ?
Why are you glad when others have many good
things? Why are you glad when others are
THE TENTH COMMANDMENT 139
happy? Why do you keep from wishing for
what belongs to others? When did God tell
you that ? What Commandment tells you that ?
Why do you love everybody? How do you
feel when others are happy? How do you feel
when others are very good ? How do you feel
if other children have nice clothes? How do
you feel if other children have nice playthings?
Who is pleased when you love others like that ?
Yes, God is pleased when you are good and kind
to others. God gives us all that is good for us.
He knows best what is good for us. In heaven
we will have all that we can ever wish for.
Why did God make us ? What will we have in
heaven? How long will we be with God in
heaven? How long will you be on the earth?
How many people will die some day? What
does God want you to do on earth ? How do you
serve God ? Whom do you serve when you pray ?
Whom do you serve when you go to church ?
Whom do you serve when you obey your
parents ? Whom do you serve when you do good
to others? Whom do you serve when you keep
the Commandments ? Why do you serve God ?
What do people do when they love God ?
So that is why you live on earth. You live here
to love God. And you serve God because you
140 RELIGION
love Him. That is why you are always contented
no matter what you have on earth.
When will God give you all that is good?
When will you have everything that you can
desire? Why are you always contented with
what you have on earth? Who wants you to be
contented with what you have ?
What does God give you? Who knows best
what is good for you? What makes poor people
happy? What will they have in heaven? How
long will they be happy in heaven ? What makes
sick people happy ? When will they be strong
and healthy ?
What do you have to do to get to heaven?
What Church teaches us how to be good? Who
gave us the Catholic Church? Why are good
people contented even if others are much richer
than they? When will they have all that they
can desire? Why are good people contented
no matter who have more than they? Who
wants them to be contented?
Yes, God made us to be happy forever in heaven.
It does not matter how much we have to suffer
on earth. God will reward us in heaven. We
live here only to serve God and to show that we
love Him.
What is the Seventh Commandment? What
THE TENTH COMMANDMENT 141
does the Seventh Commandment tell us ? Which
Commandment tells us not to wish for what
belongs to others? Who wants others to have
what belongs to them? Who wants you to be
careful with other people's things?
Why do you like to make others happy ? Why
do you love everybody? When you love people,
what do you want them to have? Why do you
think God wants you to be good to everybody ?
Whom does God love? Who gives people the
good things they have?
Who knows best what is good for us? What
does God give us ? Who gives us all that is good
for us ? When will God give us what we pray for ?
If it is not good for us, what will God do ? Who
knows best what is good for us to have? Who
gives us all that will help us get to heaven ?
Why does God want us all to get to heaven?
Why does He want us to be with Him? Whom
do you thank for all that you have ? Why should
poor people thank God ? Why should sick people
thank God? Why should people thank God
when they are sad ?
Why do you keep from wishing for what be-
longs to others? Why are you contented even
if God gives more to others than to you? Who
gives you all that is good for you ?
142 RELIGION
If somebody asked you to tell him about God's
love, what would you tell him ? What shows how
God loves us? If he asked you how poor people
can be happy, what would you say ? If he asked
you how sick people can be happy, what would
you say ? If he asked you why you are kind and
loving to others, what would you say?
Thank God, children, every day of your lives.
God is our Heavenly Father who loves us. In
heaven God will reward us for all that we suffer in
this world. Try every day to serve God; try to
love God more and more as long as you live. Then
you will be happy in heaven forever when you die.
Test Questions: 1. What does the Tenth Command-
ment tell us? 2. With what must we be contented?
3. Who knows best what is good for us? 4. Whom must
we thank for all that we have ?
TWENTY-SECOND LESSON
Sin
Sin makes people bad.
Sin means to disobey God.
Mortal sin sends people to hell.
Venial sin displeases God.
Children, you have told me often why God made
us. Will you tell me again ? And why does God
want us all to go to heaven? What kind of
people go to heaven? Where do bad people go
when they die ?
Who are the bad people ? What do they do to
be bad? Who tries to keep people from doing
what God wants them to do? Who hates God?
Why does the devil try to turn people away from
God?
Yes, children, God wants everybody to be good.
Do you know what makes people bad ? Sin makes
people bad.
What made some of the angels bad? What
did sin do to the angels ? What did it turn them
into?
143
144 RELIGION
What turned the angels into devils? What
makes people bad? Whom do they disobey
when they sin? What sin did the bad angels
commit? What did they refuse to do? Whom
do people disobey when they do not keep the
Commandments? What does it mean to disobey
God ? What does it mean to sin ?
What is the First Commandment ? What does
the First Commandment tell us to do? Which
Commandment tells us to serve God ? What does
it mean not to serve God? Which Church tells
us to pray ? What is it never to pray ?
What is the Second Commandment? What
does it mean to take God's name in vain ? What
do people commit who curse or swear ?
What is the Third Commandment ? Whom do
people disobey when they neglect Mass on Sun-
days or Holy Days ? What kind of a sin is it to
neglect Mass on Sundays or Holy Days ? Whom
do they disobey when they work on Sundays or
Holy Days?
What is the Fourth Commandment? What
bad thing is it to disobey parents ? What is the
Fifth Commandment? What do people commit
when they fight and quarrel?
What is the Sixth Commandment? Why do
you keep from bad thoughts, bad words, bad
SIN 145
things? What is the Seventh Commandment?
What do people commit when they steal ? What
does it mean to break or spoil what belongs to
others? What is the Eighth Commandment?
What is it when people tell lies ? Whom do they
disobey when they tell lies? What does it mean
to sin ?
What is the Ninth Commandment? Whom
do people disobey when they wish for bad things ?
What is it when any one disobeys God ? What is
the Tenth Commandment? Whom do people
disobey when they wish for what belongs to others ?
Whom do people disobey when they break one
of the Commandments? From whom do they
turn away when they commit a sin? When will
God forgive those who commit sin? What must
they be sorry for ? What must they promise God ?
Why did the bad angels turn against God ? Which
of the angels were proud ? What sin did the bad
angels commit? Whom did they disobey?
What two Commandments tell you to be pure ?
What is the Sixth Commandment? What is the
Ninth Commandment? WTiy does God want
you to keep from thinking about bad things?
Who wants you to be pure ?
When do people commit a sin by thinking?
What do they commit when they think about bad
146 RELIGION
things? Who always knows what you are think-
ing about ? Why do you keep from thinking about
things that you would be ashamed to talk about ?
Who wants you to keep your thoughts pure?
Why do you turn away from people who talk
bad ? What would anybody commit if he listened
to those things? What Commandment tells you
to keep bad things out of your mind? Whom
do people disobey when they do not do what God
tells them? When will God forgive people that
sin ? What must they be sorry for ? What must
they promise God ?
What does God want us to do ? Why does God
want us always to do good ? Who wants us to go
to heaven? Why does God want us to go to
heaven ? Whom do you obey when you do good ?
What did the bad angels commit? What kind
of a sin did the bad angels commit? What did
that big sin do to the angels ? Where did it send
them?
Do you know what big sins are called? They
are called mortal sins. Only mortal sins send
people to hell.
What kind of sins send people to hell ? Where
do mortal sins send people? What kind of sin
did the bad angels commit? Which angels com-
mitted a mortal sin? What is a big sin called?
SIN 147
Against whom did the bad angels turn when they
committed mortal sin ?
What did mortal sin do to the bad angels ?
Where did it send them? What do you think
is the worst thing in the world ? What is the only
thing that can send people to hell? Whose fault
is it if anybody goes to hell?
What must people do if they want God to for-
give them mortal sin? For what must they be
sorry? What must they promise? How bad
is mortal sin? Where does it send people?
Little sins are called venial sins. Venial sins
do not send people to hell. But good people
always try to avoid venial sins. Whom do you
think venial sins displease? Why do you always
try to avoid venial sins ?
What kind of sin is it to get angry ? What kind
of sin is it to forget and disobey your parents?
What kind of sin is it to forget and say unkind
things to others ? What kind of sin is it to tell
a little falsehood ? What kind of sin is it to fight
and quarrel without thinking ? What kind of sin
is it to pout and be stubborn without wanting to
be bad ?
How do you think the devil tries to get people
to commit mortal sin ? Who tries first to get them
to commit venial sin? Who tries to keep you
148 RELIGION
away from sin? What does your guardian angel
try to keep you from ? Why does your guardian
angel try to keep you from venial sin, too ? Whom
do people love less when they commit venial sin?
What kind of sin sends people to hell ? Why do
good people hate mortal sin? From whom does
mortal sin turn people? Who were the first that
ever committed sin? Where are the bad angels
now?
To whom do you pray to keep from sin ? Who
helps you avoid sin? What do you ask God to
do when you pray ? When will the Blessed Virgin
help you avoid sin? When will St. Joseph help
you avoid sin? When will all the saints help
you? What will the martyrs do for you if you
ask them? What will the angels do for you if
you pray to them ?
Yes, children, sin is the worst thing in the world.
Pray to God every day to keep you from sin. Ask
the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph and all the saints
and martyrs to pray for you. Ask your guardian
angel to watch over you, so that you can avoid
even venial sins.
Test Questions : 1. What makes people bad ? 2. What
does sin mean? 3. What does mortal sin do to people?
4. Whom does venial sin displease?
TWENTY-THIRD LESSON
Original Sin
Adam was the first man.
Eve was the first woman.
Adam and Eve were very happy at first.
Adam and Eve fell into sin.
Children, you told me about sin the last time
you were here. You told me how awful it is when
anybody falls into sin. You told me that sin is
the worst thing in the world. You told me that
mortal sin sends people to hell forever.
Now if some one asked you why sin is so bad,
what would you say ? What makes people bad ?
What turns people away from God? What did
sin do to the bad angels?
Whom do people disobey when they commit
sin? Why do you always try to obey God?
What do people do when they love God? What
kind of sin sends people to hell? What are little
sins called ? Why do you always try to avoid
venial sins? Whom do venial sins displease?
Where do all the people in the world come from ?
149
150 RELIGION
Whom did God make? Do you know who was
the first man that God made? Adam was the
first man that God made.
I will tell you about Adam. You know God
made the earth and the sun and the moon and the
stars. Then there was nothing on the earth. So
God made the trees and the flowers and the plants
and the grass. Then God made the animals.
He made horses, and cows, and sheep, and lions,
and tigers, and all kinds of animals. He also made
the birds and the fishes.
Then there were no people on the earth. So
God made man. Do you know how God made the
first man? He took some clay out of the earth
and turned it into a man's body. Then He put
a soul into the body. As soon as God put the soul
into the body, the man came to life. This first
man knew everything around him at once. He
could think and talk as soon as God made him.
God gave him the name of Adam.
Now, if somebody asks you who was the first
man, what will you tell him? If somebody asks
you how God made the first man, what will you
tell him? How did God make Adam's body?
How did God bring Adam's body to life ?
What did God make before He made Adam?
Why did God make all those things ? For whom
ORIGINAL SIN 151
did God make them ? Why did God make the
earth? What place did God make for us to live
in?
Where could Adam get things to eat? Where
do all the people in the world get things to eat?
Who gives us these things ?
What did God give Adam after He made his
body? How long will your soul live? How will
you live after your body dies ? What can you do
after your body dies ? How can you know things ?
To whom is the soul like? What part of us is
like to God? Wlio is the greatest spirit? What
kind of beings are the angels? Why is our soul
like the angels? What part of us is a spirit?
Adam was all alone after God made him. There
was nobody else on earth. So God made Adam
a wife. Do you know how God made Adam's
wife? He put Adam asleep. Then He took out
one of Adam's ribs. He turned this rib into a
woman's body. As soon as God gave the woman
a soul she came to life. God gave her the name
of Eve.
When Adam awoke he was surprised to see Eve.
But he was very happy. Then Adam and Eve
lived together. After that God gave them many
children. Their first children were Cain and Abel.
Now what could you tell anybody about the
152 RELIGION
first woman? Why was Adam all alone at first?
Where did he get his wife? How did God make
Eve's body? How did Eve come to life? How
long will your soul live? How long will Adam's
soul live? How long will Eve's soul live?
In what book do we read about Adam and Eve ?
Who wrote the Bible? What Church tells us all
that the Bible means? Who sent the Catholic
Church to teach us ?
Who made Adam and Eve very good? Who
loved them very much? Yes, God loved Adam
and Eve very much. They were very good and
very holy. They loved God very much.
What kind of people are happy? What must
anybody do to be happy? What kind of people
are miserable ? What makes people bad ? Where
does mortal sin send people? When were Adam
and Eve very happy? Why were they happy at
first ? When were they good and holy ?
Yes, Adam and Eve were very happy. God
made them a very beautiful garden. It was filled
with beautiful flowers and fruits. It was called
Paradise, or the Garden of Eden.
Adam and Eve had everything they wanted.
They didn't have to work. They didn't get sick ;
they never had to suffer ; they would never grow
old; they would never die. All they had to do
ORIGINAL SIN 153
was to obey God, then God would take them to
heaven.
Where did Adam and Eve live? What kind
of place was the Garden of Eden? What did
Adam and Eve have there ? What did God want
Adam and Eve to do ? How did God want them
to show that they loved Him? What would
God do for Adam and Eve if they obeyed Him ?
Where would God take them?
God wanted Adam and Eve to obey Him. He
told them not to eat the fruit from one of the trees
in the Garden of Eden. He let them eat the
fruit from all the other trees. But He wanted
them to show that they loved Him. So He asked
them to obey Him just to show that they loved
Him. He told them that they would have to
die if they ate the fruit from that tree.
What do you think Adam and Eve should have
done ? Why should they have obeyed God ?
What do you show when you obey God ? Indeed,
you are right, children. Adam and Eve should
have obeyed God. But they didn't obey Him.
They ate the fruit that God told them not to eat.
So they committed a great sin.
What did Adam and Eve commit when they
disobeyed God? Why did God want Adam and
Eve to obey Him? Who loved Adam and Eve
154 RELIGION
very much ? Where did God want to take Adam
and Eve? Who do you think made Adam and
Eve disobey God ?
Yes, the devil made Adam and Eve disobey God.
You know the devil was jealous because Adam and
Eve were so good. He saw how happy Adam and
Eve were. So he came and told Eve a lie. He
told her that if they would eat that fruit they
would be as great as God. That made them
proud. So they ate the fruit.
What do you think happened to Adam and Eve
after they disobeyed God? How did they feel
after that? Why were they miserable? When
are people happy? What place did Adam and
Eve have to leave? Why would they have to
die after that ? Why could they not go to heaven
after that ?
Just think what Adam and Eve lost by their
sin ! They lost heaven. Nobody after that could
ever go to heaven unless God would free them
from sin. But God was sorry for Adam and Eve.
So He promised to send our Lord to free all the
people from sin. Our Lord came about four
thousand years after that.
What did Adam and Eve lose by their sin?
How could anybody get to heaven after that?
How did God feel for Adam and Eve ? What did
ORIGINAL SIN 155
God promise Adam and Eve? When did our
Lord come to free us from sin ?
See how God loves us, children. He took pity-
on Adam and Eve when they fell into sin. So He
promised to free them from sin. That is why our
Lord was born into the world.
Now if some one asked you to tell him about
Adam and Eve's sin, what would you tell him?
What did Adam and Eve do? Why was that a
great sin ? Whom did they disobey ?
What happened to Adam and Eve after they
fell into sin? What did they lose? Why could
nobody get to heaven after that? What did
Adam and Eve have to suffer? How many
people have to die because of Adam and Eve's
sin ? Why do we all have to die ?
Who made Adam and Eve commit sin? Why
did the devil make Adam and Eve commit sin?
Whom does the devil hate? Where did he want
to take Adam and Eve ? Who saved us from hell ?
What did the devil make Adam and Eve be-
lieve? How did he make them proud? What
made the bad angels fall into sin ? What made
them proud ? Why did they refuse to obey God ?
Why do you like to obey God always? How
many of us does God love ? What will God do for
you when you obey Him all your life? What
156 RELIGION
brought all the misery into the world? What
makes people bad and miserable? What is the
only thing that can send people to hell?
Do you know, children, we all have to suffer
for the sin of Adam and Eve. We are all born
in the sin of Adam and Eve. That is why we
have to be baptized. That is how our Lord takes
away the sin of Adam and Eve from us. That is
why we have to be baptized to go to heaven.
For whose sin do we all have to suffer? Why
do we all have to die? Why do we all have to
suffer and get sick? In what sin are we born?
Who takes away Adam and Eve's sin from our
soul? When does our Lord take away Adam
and Eve's sin from us ?
Now, if somebody asked you what brought all
the misery into the world, what would you tell
him? If he asked you what brought death into
the world, what would you tell him ? If he asked
you why we have to suffer so much on earth, what
would you tell him? How many people have to
suffer for Adam and Eve's sin ?
What takes away Adam and Eve's sin from
us ? Why do you hate sin so much ? What does
sin do to people? Where does mortal sin send
them?
The sin we are born in is called original sin.
ORIGINAL SIN 157
Original sin comes down from Adam and Eve.
We are all born in original sin. In what sin are
we born ? What is that sin called ? What, then,
is original sin ?
What is the worst thing in the world ? Whom
will you ask to keep you from sin? Whom did
God send to help keep you from sin ? Thank God,
children, because He keeps you from sin. Pray
to your guardian angel every day. Ask him to
watch over you so that you can always obey God.
Test Questions: 1. Who was the first man? 2. Who
was the first woman? 3. When were Adam and Eve
happy ? 4. What evil did Adam and Eve do ?
TWENTY-FOURTH LESSON
The Birth of Christ
Jesus Christ came to free us from sin.
Our Lord was born in Bethlehem.
Our Lord has always been God.
Our Lord became man when He was born in Bethlehem.
Children, you told me about Adam and Eve.
Will you tell me about them again? How did
God make Adam's body? How did God make
Eve's body? What part of us will live forever?
What kind of people were Adam and Eve when
God made them? What made them happy?
Where did they live ? What did God want Adam
and Eve to do? Whom did Adam and Eve dis-
obey?
What happened to Adam and Eve after they fell
into sin ? What did the sin of Adam and Eve do
to us ? How does the sin of Adam and Eve come
to us ? What sin are we born in ? What brought
all the misery into the world? What brought
sickness and death into the world ?
What did Adam and Eve lose by their sin?
158
THE BIRTH OF CHRIST 159
What did all the people lose by the sin of Adam
and Eve ? Why could nobody go to heaven after
that?
What is the worst thing in the world? What
did sin do to the bad angels ? How long will the
bad angels have to stay in hell ? When do people
turn away from God? What kind of sin makes
them turn away from God ?
When did Adam and Eve turn away from God ?
Who can take people back when they turn away
from God? When does God take them back?
Who came to bring all the people back to God?
Why did our Lord come from heaven? Why
did our Lord want to free us from sin ? Why could
nobody ever go to heaven if our Lord hadn't come ?
Why does God want us all to go to heaven?
Why did Jesus Christ come into the world ? What
did He free us from ? Which person of the Blessed
Trinity is Jesus Christ ?
See how God loves us. He sent our Lord to
save us from sin. Our Lord is God the Son.
If He hadn't come we could never have gone to
heaven.
To whom do you think people belong when they
commit sin ? When do people belong to the devil ?
Do you know where our Lord was born ? He was
born in Bethlehem. I will tell you about it.
160 RELIGION
You know it was a long, long time ago. It was
nineteen hundred years ago. There were some
poor men watching their sheep one night. They
were out in the fields alone. It was very still in
the night. All at once they heard beautiful sing-
ing. Then the sky was lighted as if there was a
big fire. They looked, and what do you think
they saw ? They saw many angels there. The
angels were singing.
Just imagine how surprised the shepherds were !
They just stood there and listened until the angels
stopped singing. Then one of the angels spoke
to them. He told them that they had brought
them good news from heaven. He told them that
our Lord had just been born. He told them that
our Lord had come to free us from sin.
Imagine how happy the shepherds were ! The
angel told them to go to Bethlehem and there
they would find a little baby lying in a manger.
That was our Lord.
You may be sure the shepherds hurried away.
When they reached the stable, they found our
Lord lying in the manger just as the angel had told
them.
The poor shepherds were very happy to see the
Blessed Infant. They all knelt and prayed to
Him. I am sure they must have kissed His little
THE BIRTH OF CHRIST 161
hands, too. They gave Him some little presents
that they had brought. Then they went back
to their sheep as happy as they could be.
Now, if some one asks you why our Lord came
to earth, what will you tell him? Why could
nobody ever get to heaven if God hadn't come?
If somebody asked you to tell how our Lord came,
what would you say? Where was our Lord
born ?
Who was born on Christmas? Why are you
happy on Christmas? Why do we have to go to
Mass on Christmas? On what days do we have
to go to Mass? What would you have done if
you had been with the shepherds when they went
to Bethlehem on the first Christmas? Why do
you think people give Christmas presents? Who
gave presents to the Blessed Infant in Bethlehem ?
What does the Christmas crib make you think
about? What makes you think of how our Lord
was born? What do you do when you kneel
before the Christmas crib? To whom do you
pray then ?
Everybody wants to be happy on Christmas.
Do you know why Christmas is the happiest day
in the year? It is because that is the day on
which our Lord was born. That is the day on
which our Lord came to free us from sin.
162 RELIGION
Where did our Lord come from ? How long
do you think our Lord had lived in heaven ? How
long has our Lord been God? What divine
person is our Lord? Who is God the Son?
What is our Lord's name? Why do you honor
the name of Jesus? What is the most holy of all
names ? What do you do when you hear the holy
name of Jesus ? What do good men do when they
hear the holy name of Jesus?
How long has Jesus Christ been God? How
much can our Lord do? How much does our
Lord know ? How long will our Lord be God ?
Why did Jesus Christ come to save us from sin ?
Why is Jesus Christ called our Saviour ? Who
came to save us from hell ? WThy did our Saviour
want to save us from hell ? What shows that He
loves us ?
Where does our Saviour want us to go when we
die? What do good people thank our Saviour
for? Why is Jesus Christ called our Redeemer?
Who came to free us from sin? Why did our
Redeemer free us from sin? What shows that
He loves us? From what sin did our Redeemer
free us ? How does the sin of Adam and Eve
come to us? What sin is called original sin?
What person of the Blessed Trinity is our Lord ?
How long has our Lord been God ? How long will
THE BIRTH OF CHRIST 163
our Lord be God ? Where was our Lord born ?
When was our Lord born ?
Who is our Lord's mother ? Why do we honor
the Blessed Virgin Mary ? How big was our Lord
when He was born? Why did the shepherds
pray to the Blessed Infant ?
What can our Lord do? What person of the
Blessed Trinity was born in Bethlehem ? Who
took care of our Lord when He was a little baby ?
Our Lord was always God. But He became
man only when He came to earth. Now our Lord
is God and He is man, too. What can God do?
What did our Saviour want to save us from ? Why
is our Lord called our Redeemer? What did He
free us from? How did our Lord become a boy
and then a man ? Where did our Lord live when
He was a little boy ?
Just think how much God loves us, children.
God the Son came down to earth because He
loves us. He was a little baby, and then a boy,
and then a big man because He loves us. He
suffered and died to save us from hell. Thank
God all your lives for all His love for us.
Test Questions: 1. Who came to free us from sin?
2. Where was our Lord born ? 3. How long has our Lord
been God? 4. When did our Lord become man?
TWENTY-FIFTH LESSON
The Blessed Virgin Mary
The Blessed Virgin Mary is our Lord's mother.
We pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary every day.
The Blessed Virgin Mary prays for us.
St. Joseph took care of our Lord and the Blessed Virgin
Mary.
Children, tell me about our Lord again. Tell
me about the shepherds and the angels. Where
did the shepherds find the little Infant Jesus?
Who was with the Blessed Infant when the
shepherds came? Who is our Lord's mother?
Who is the purest creature that ever lived on
earth? Who was always free from original sin?
Why did God want to keep His blessed mother
free from sin ? Whom did He love best on earth ?
What did the Blessed Virgin do for our Lord
when He was a little baby? Who put on His
little clothes for Him ? Who gave Him His little
bath ? Who fed Him and gave Him a drink ?
Who used to sing the holy child Jesus to sleep ?
Who would kiss Him and hug Him? Who was
always happy to hold the divine Infant in her
arms ? What do you think St. Joseph liked to do
164
THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY 165
sometimes, too? What would you like to do if
you had been there when our Lord was a little
baby ?
Who taught you to talk when you were a baby ?
Who taught the little child Jesus to talk? Who
was happy when she heard Him say the words
she told Him? What do you think St. Joseph
would often teach the blessed child Jesus ? Who
taught the little child Jesus to walk? Who was
happy when she first saw Him walk? Why do
you love your mother so much?
Whom did the child Jesus love very much?
Around whose neck would He often put His little
arms? Whom would the little child Jesus kiss
when He was going to bed ? To whom would He
run in the morning ?
Just think, children, how our Lord must love
the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is His own mother.
What person of the Blessed Trinity is our Lord?
Who is God's mother? Imagine how happy the
Blessed Virgin Mary was ! Our Lord was her own
little baby. Just think how much He must love
her ! After the little child Jesus learned to walk,
He would go out with His mother and St. Joseph
for a walk sometimes. The Blessed Virgin would
take the little child Jesus by the hand when they
went for a walk.
166 RELIGION
What do you think the blessed boy Jesus always
did for His mother and St. Joseph ? Why did He
always obey them? What made the blessed boy
Jesus always cheerful? Why did He always try
to make others happy? Why was the holy child
Jesus always very kind to other children ?
Now, children, if some one asked you to tell him
about our Lord, what would you say? Where
was our Lord born? Why did our Lord come to
earth? Which divine person is our Lord?
If some one asked you to tell Him about the
Blessed Virgin, what would you say ? Who is the
Blessed Virgin's Son? What did she do for our
Lord? Whom do you think our Lord loves best
of all? What did God keep His blessed mother
free from ?
Whom did our Lord love very much when He
grew to be a man ? Who used to sit and talk with
the Blessed Virgin often? Who would do any-
thing the Blessed Virgin asked Him? Why
would our Lord do anything His blessed mother
asked Him to do ?
Do you know how long our Lord lived with His
blessed mother and St. Joseph? He lived with
them until He was thirty years old. They lived
in a little town called Nazareth. They lived in a
little house there.
THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY 167
Who do you think used to sweep the floor and
take care of the house? Who do you think used
to make the beds and prepare the meals? Who
do you think used to wash the clothes ? Why was
the Blessed Virgin very happy to do all that for
our Lord ?
Why do you like to do things for our Lord?
Where is God's house? Whose house is the
church? Who can help make God's house beau-
tiful ? Who can give money to keep God's house ?
Who wants us all to love the Blessed Virgin Mary ?
Why does our Lord want us all to love the Blessed
Virgin Mary ? Whose mother is she ?
How do you show that you love God's mother ?
Say the Hail Mary. Why does it please our Lord
when you pray to His blessed mother ?
Do you know how to say the Rosary ? If not,
you will soon learn. We pray to God's mother
when we say the Rosary. Good people try to
say the Rosary every day. We think about our
Lord and His blessed mother when we say the
Rosary.
Who do you think was the purest creature that
ever lived on earth ? Who is our Lord's mother ?
Who is the only creature on earth that was always
free from the sin of Adam and Eve? Why do
you think the Blessed Virgin was always free from
168 RELIGION
the sin of Adam and Eve ? Whose mother is she ?
Why do you think God kept His blessed mother
free from sin? Whom does He love best?
Yes, children, our Lord loves His blessed
mother very much. She is in heaven now with
her divine Son. She is our mother, too. You
know our Lord gave us His blessed mother to be
our mother, too. Do you know when our Lord
gave us His blessed mother for our mother? It
was when He was hanging on the cross.
Now, if some one asked you why you pray to
the Blessed Virgin, what would you say ? Whose
mother is she? Why do you love the Blessed
Virgin so much ? Who was the purest creature
that ever lived on earth? Who is our mother
in heaven ?
Why do you think the Blessed Virgin loves us
very much ? What kind of children does she want
you to be ? Who was as pure as the angels ? Who
wants you to be pure always ?
Why does God want you to pray to the Blessed
Virgin? How do you show that you love her?
What prayer do you say to her? How often do
you say the Angelus ? When does the Angelus
bell ring ? Whom do you honor when you say the
Angelus ?
What do you ask God's mother to do for you
THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY 169
when you say the Hail Mary ? Why do you say :
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us ? Whom
do you ask to pray for you ?
How often will the Blessed Virgin pray for you ?
Who will pray for you whenever you ask her ? To
whom does our Blessed Mother pray for us ? Why
will God always give the Blessed Virgin what she
asks? Whose mother is the Blessed Virgin?
Whom does our Lord love best of all ?
Where is the Blessed Virgin Mary now ? Where
did the Blessed Virgin live on earth? Who lived
with the Blessed Virgin on earth ? How long did
our Lord live with His mother and St. Joseph?
Who was the Blessed Virgin's little baby ?
What did the Blessed Virgin do for the divine
child? Why do you think our Lord gives the
Blessed Virgin what she prays for? Why will
God always help you if the Blessed Virgin prays
for you? When will the Blessed Virgin pray for
you?
Where do you think is the Blessed Virgin's
body? It is in heaven, too. When the Blessed
Virgin died, God took her body and soul into
heaven. God loved His blessed mother so much
that He would not leave her body in the grave.
Do you know on what day God took His blessed
mother into heaven? It was on Assumption
170 RELIGION
Day. That is August the fifteenth. It is a
Holy Day.1 Everybody has to go to Mass on that
day.
What did God do for His blessed mother when
she died? Where is the Blessed Virgin's body
now ? Why did God take the Blessed Virgin's
body to heaven ? On what day did God take His
blessed mother to heaven ? When is the feast of
the Assumption? What does everybody have
to do on the feast of the Assumption ? Why does
everybody have to go to Mass on that day ?
What does the Blessed Virgin Mary do for us?
How often will the Blessed Virgin pray for you?
What Litany do you say to our Blessed Mother?
What do you ask of our Blessed Mother when you
say the Litany ?
When is the feast of the Immaculate Con-
ception ? Why do we honor God's blessed mother
on that day? When do we honor her because
she was always free from sin? What does every-
body have to do on the feast of the Immaculate
Conception? Why do we all have to go to Mass
on that day ?
Who was the blessed Virgin Mary's husband?
Why was St. Joseph very happy to be with our
1 The feast of the Assumption is not a Holy Day in Great Britain and
Canada, but the feast of the Epiphany is a Holy Day.
THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY 171
Lord's blessed mother? Who took care of our
Lord and the Blessed Virgin ? Who made St.
Joseph very holy? Who made St. Joseph very
pure ?
St. Joseph was very happy. He was very holy
and he was the purest man in the world. You
know God the Father is our Lord's father. He
sent St. Joseph to take care of the child Jesus and
His blessed mother.
Do you know what St. Joseph did for our Lord
and the Blessed Virgin? He worked for them.
He was a carpenter. He used to make tables
and chairs and things like that.
Who used to help St. Joseph with his work?
Why was St. Joseph happy to have our Lord work
with him? To whom would our Lord talk when
they were working? Why did our Lord love St.
Joseph very much ?
To whom does St. Joseph pray for you ? Why
will God help you when St. Joseph prays for you ?
Why does our Lord love St. Joseph so much?
What did St. Joseph do for God's blessed
mother? What did St. Joseph do for the holy
child Jesus ? Where is St. Joseph now ?
Who were with St. Joseph when he died ? What
made St. Joseph very happy when he was dying?
What kind of people are happy when they are
172 RELIGION
dying ? Why are good people so happy when they
are dying ?
What do you have to do to be happy when you
are dying? Who will help you to have a happy
death if you ask him ? What, then, will you ask
St. Joseph to do for you ? Why will you pray all
your life for a happy death?
Where did St. Joseph live with our Lord ? Who
belonged to the Holy Family ? Why did they all
love one another very much ? Why did they help
one another ?
Just think how happy was that home ! Our
Lord and His blessed mother and St. Joseph
lived together in a little house. They were very
happy. That is the way God wants every family
to be. He wants them all to love one another, to
be kind to one another, and to help one another.
Pray to God to keep your home like the home of
the Holy Family.
Test Questions : 1. Who is our Lord's mother ? 2. How
often do we pray to the Blessed Virgin ? 3. For whom does
the Blessed Virgin pray? 4. Who took care of our Lord
and the Blessed Virgin?
TWENTY-SIXTH LESSON
The Crucifixion of Our Lord
Our Lord died on the cross.
Our Lord died for our sins.
Our Lord died on Good Friday.
We shall all die some day.
Children, you told me many fine things about
our Blessed Mother. Tell me some of them again.
Who is our Lord's mother ? What did the Blessed
Virgin do for our Lord when He was a little baby ?
How do you show that you love the Blessed
Virgin ?
What prayers do you say to the Blessed Virgin ?
Why will you be glad to say the Rosary every
day? What does the Blessed Virgin do for us?
Why does the Blessed Virgin pray for us ? Where
does she want us to go when we die ?
Whom does our Lord love best of all? Where
is the Blessed Virgin now? Where is the Blessed
Virgin's body ? Where is St. Joseph now ? What
do we ask St. Joseph to do for us ? When will we
see the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph ? When can
we talk with the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph ?
173
174 RELIGION
Where was our Lord born ? How did the people
learn that our Lord was born ? Who told the
shepherds ? Who were with the child Jesus when
the shepherds came ?
Why was our Lord born into the world ? What
did He corne to free us from? Where did our
Lord come from ? How long had our Lord lived
in heaven before He was born ? Which person of
the Blessed Trinity is our Lord? How long has
our Lord been God? How long will our Lord be
God? What can our Lord do?
How long did our Lord live with His blessed
mother and St. Joseph ? Where did they live ?
How did they make a living? Who helped St.
Joseph with his work? What work did the
Blessed Virgin do ?
Do you know what our Lord did after He went
away from Nazareth ? I will tell you. Our Lord
went to teach the people how to be good. He
took twelve men with Him. They are called the
twelve Apostles. Our Lord taught them so that
they would teach the people. Then He ordained
them priests.
Now if some one asked you what our Lord did
when He went away fron Nazareth, what would
you say? Whom did our Lord take with Him?
What did our Lord do for the Apostles? How
THE CRUCIFIXION OF OUR LORD 175
do we know what our Lord and the Apostles
taught ? What Church teaches us that ?
Do you know how long our Lord went around
teaching the people? He went for three years.
He went to many places and always took the
Apostles with Him. He did many wonderful
things. He cured the sick. He gave sight to the
blind. He made the deaf hear. He raised many
dead people to life.
The people loved our Lord very much. They
used to follow Him in great crowds. But there
were some false teachers among them. They
hated our Lord. They told falsehoods about our
Lord. So they turned the people against Him.
At last, they had our Lord put to death.
Do you know how they killed our Lord ? They
nailed Him to a cross. They drove big nails in
His hands and feet. Then they planted the cross
in the ground and let our Lord hang there until
He died.
How long did our Lord go around teaching the
people? What wonderful things did our Lord
do? Who loved our Lord? Who hated our
Lord?
What did the false teachers tell about our Lord ?
What did they do to our Lord ? How did they kill
Him? What did our Lord teach the people?
176 RELIGION
What Church teaches us how to be good? Who
sent the Catholic Church to teach us ?
Why do we honor the cross ? WTho died on the
cross? Why do we have the cross on our
churches? What does the crucifix make you
think about? What makes you think how our
Lord died on the cross ? What does it show when
you kiss the crucifix ? Who died on the cross for
us?
To whom do you pray when you kneel before
the crucifix? Why do you pray to our Lord
before the crucifix? Why do we have the c ucifix
in our homes ? What do you want to think about
every day ?
Why do you make the sign of the cross ? Who
died on the cross? What does it show when
you make the sign of the cross? How does it
show that you believe in our Lord?
Our Lord suffered very much on the cross. He
had to carry the cross on His shoulders up Mount
Calvary. You know our Lord died on Mount
Calvary.
What do you think about when you make the
Stations of the Cross ? Who is pleased when you
make the Stations of the Cross? Why do you
like to make the Stations of the Cross often?
Why do you think our Lord suffered so much ?
THE CRUCIFIXION OF OUR LORD 177
Why does our Lord love us so much? Who
helped our Lord carry the cross ?
When did our Lord meet His blessed mother?
How far did our Lord's mother go with Him
then? How long did our Lord's mother stay
on Mount Calvary ? What did she do when they
took our Lord down from the cross?
Where did our Lord die? Who stood beside
our Lord's cross until He died? When did our
Lord give us His blessed mother to be our mother ?
What kind of people were Adam and Eve at
first? What made them bad? What sin did
they commit ? What sin are we all born in ?
Who came to free us from the sin of Adam and
Eve? Who was always free from the sin of
Adam and Eve? What happened to the angels
when they fell into sin?
Why did our Lord come to free us from sin ?
Why does our Lord love us so much? Why
could nobody ever go to heaven if our Lord hadn't
come ? Why did our Lord suffer and die ? Who
suffered and died for our sins?
Who saved us from hell ? Why is Jesus Christ
called our Saviour? Why is Jesus Christ called
our Redeemer ? What did He free us from ?
What does the crucifix make you think about ?
To whom do you pray when you kneel before the
178 RELIGION
crucifix? Why do all the people kiss the crucifix
on Good Friday ? Who died on that day ?
Just see, children, how much God loves us.
God the Son was born into the world. He was
born so that He could suffer and die. That is
how he freed us from the sin of Adam and Eve.
What shows best how much our Lord loves us ?
Why did our Lord suffer and die? When could
anybody get to heaven after Adam and Eve fell
into sin ? How long did they have to wait ?
How did our Lord free us from the sin of Adam
and Eve? Why do you honor the cross? Why
do you make the sign of the cross? Why did
our Lord want to free us from sin? Where does
He want us to go when we die?
Why does our Lord want us to go to heaven?
Why does He wish to have us with Him forever ?
What do we have to do to get to heaven? How
do we know what God wants us to do? Who
teaches us what the Catholic Church teaches?
Who sent the priests to teach us ?
On what day did our Lord die ? Yes, our Lord
died on Good Friday. They nailed our Lord to
the cross about noon. He hung on the cross until
about three o'clock in the afternoon ; then He
died. Then they took down our Lord's body and
put it in the tomb.
THE CRUCIFIXION OF OUR LORD 179
TVhy do so many people spend three hours pray-
ing in the church on Good Friday afternoon?
How many hours did our Lord hang on the
cross? What hours were they? Why do we
keep from eating meat on Friday? Who died
on Good Friday? Why do we give up meat on
that day? Why do we want to suffer something
on Friday ? Why do we honor the day on which
our Lord died? For whom are we showing love
when we honor that day?
When does Good Friday come? What is the
Friday before Easter called? Why do you think
we call that Friday good? Who freed us from
sin that day ?
Yes, that is why we call that Friday good. It
is a good day for us. It is the day on which our
Lord saved us from hell. It is the day on which
our Lord freed us from sin.
Why do you keep from eating meat on Friday ?
On what day did our Lord save us from hell ? On
what day did our Lord free us from sin ? Why do
you call that day good?
Do you know where Mount Calvary is? It is
a hill just outside the city of Jerusalem. Our
Lord had to carry the cross up the hill. It was
a very heavy cross. Our Lord fell several times
on the way.
180 RELIGION
What would you like to have done for our Lord
then? Why do many good people spend three
hours praying in church on Good Friday? Why
do you like to make the Stations of the Cross ?
If some one asked you why the people turned
against our Lord, what would you say? Whom
did they believe ? What did the false teachers tell
them?
What do bad people sometimes say about the
Catholic Church? Why do false teachers hate
the Catholic Church ?
Why did the false teachers tell false things about
our Lord ? Who were jealous of our Lord ? Why
do bad people sometimes tell false things about
priests ? Who teaches you what our Lord taught ?
Where did our Lord die? How did our Lord
die? On what day did our Lord die? Why did
our Lord die ?
Why did God make the earth? What place
did He make for us to live in ? Why did God
make the animals and the fruits and everything?
Why did God make you? With whom will you
be in heaven ? How long will you live in heaven ?
How many of us will die some day? Where will
we go when we die? Whom will we love in
heaven? Who will love us in heaven?
Where is our Heavenly Father ? When will we
THE CRUCIFIXION OF OUR LORD 181
go to our Heavenly Father? Why does God let
us die? What kind of death do good people
have ? Who have a happy death ?
Why are good people happy when they are
dying ? Where are they going when they die ? To
whom do you pray for a happy death ? Why do
you pray to St. Joseph for a happy death ? Who
were with St. Joseph when he died? How often
do good people pray for a happy death ?
What kind of people are happy on earth?
What makes good people happy when they are
dying? Why will you try to be good all your
life? Why is it good to remember that we must
die some day ?
Where do people never die ? What will we have
in heaven? When will we have our bodies in
heaven ? Who will be very happy in heaven ?
Just think, children, how God loves us ! He
made us for heaven. He wants us to be with
Him forever in heaven. God is our Heavenly
Father. When we die we go to our Heavenly
Father. Thank God every day for His great
love. Think of how happy you will be in heaven
forever and forever.
Test Questions : 1. How did our Lord die ? 2. Why did
our Lord die ? 3. On what day did our Lord die ? 4. How
many of us will die?
TWENTY-SEVENTH LESSON
Purgatory
Those who die in venial sin go to purgatory.
We pray for the souls in purgatory.
There will be no purgatory after the end of the world.
Souls go to heaven when they leave purgatory.
Children, you told me the last time that we all
have to die some day. Where do people go when
they die ? Who will go to heaven ? Who will go
to hell ? How long will good people live in heaven ?
How long will bad people have to suffer in hell?
What kind of sin sends people to hell ?
Even a venial sin will keep people from going
straight to heaven. But of course you know
people don't go to hell for venial sin. They go
to purgatory for venial sin. Then they have to
suffer in purgatory until their venial sins are
taken away.
If some one asked where do people go who have
venial sins, what would you say? Where do
people go who die in mortal sin? Where do
people go who die without any sins ? What kind
182
PURGATORY 183
of sin sends peo|jle to purgatory ? What happens
to people in purgatory ? How long do they have
to suffer in purgatory? Yes, the souls in pur-
gatory suffer in fire, too. They burn all the time.
And they don't see God in purgatory. They
suffer very much.
Now tell me, what do the souls suffer in purga-
tory? When do they suffer in fire? When will
they see God?
Sometimes people have to go to purgatory after
God forgives their mortal sins. They have to do
penance in purgatory ; that is, when they do not
do enough penance before they die. Now, chil-
dren, who go to purgatory? Where do people
go who die in venial sin? Who do penance in
purgatory? Where do people go who do not
do enough penance before they die?
Why are the souls in purgatory anxious to go to
heaven ? Whom do they wish to see in heaven ?
What do you think you can do for the souls in
purgatory? Who helps them when you pray for
them? Why does God help them? How many
of them does He love?
Yes, children, God will help the poor souls
every time you pray for them. Just think what
you can do ! You can help the souls in purgatory
get to heaven. You can pray for all your friends
184 RELIGION
and dear ones that are dead. You can pray for
all the souls in purgatory.
Now, children, what do good people do for the
souls in purgatory? What will you do for your
friends and dear ones when they die? How long
will you pray for them ?
What do you want people to do for you when
you die? How can your friends and dear ones
help you if you are in purgatory? How can you
show that you love people after they are dead?
What will help people that are dead ?
What is better than to buy flowers for people
that die? What does the Catholic Church teach
you to do for people that are dead? Who wants
the Catholic Church to teach you to pray for people
that are dead? Yes, God wants you to pray
for the souls in purgatory. He wants you to
love them. You know God loves them.
How long will good people live in heaven ? How
long do bad people have to stay in hell ? Nobody
will have to stay in purgatory forever. They
stay there only until their souls are pure. Then
they are freed from purgatory. There will be no
purgatory after the end of the world.
How can you help to free souls from purgatory ?
How often can you pray for souls in purgatory?
What does the priest do for the souls in purga-
PURGATORY 185
tory? For whom does he often say Mass?
Where does it help the poor souls to go when
Mass is said for them? What do you think is
the best thing that can be done for the poor
souls ? How much will Mass help them ?
Of course we don't know how long anybody
has to stay in purgatory. That is why we pray
all our lives for our friends. How long will you
pray for your friends and dear ones? What do
you want to help them to do ?
Why do we have Mass at funerals ? For whom
is it said ? What does the priest do for the person
that is dead? Why do we pray at the graves of
our friends ? For whom do we pray then ? What
do good people do when they visit a cemetery?
For whom do they pray ?
For how many souls does the priest pray every
time he says Mass? What will you do for the
poor souls every time you go to Mass ? Why will
you pray for the poor souls every day, too ?
November the second is the Feast of All Souls.
For whom is Mass said on the Feast of All Souls ?
For whom does everybody pray, more than ever,
on that day? November is the month of the
poor souls. For whom do good people like to
pray more than ever during November? For
whom do good people have many Masses said
186 RELIGION
during that month? How long do people have
to stay in purgatory ? What happens when their
soul is pure? When will there be no purgatory?
We do not know how long people have to stay
in purgatory. But nobody has to stay in purga-
tory forever. There will be no purgatory after
the end of the world.
Where will the poor souls go when they leave
purgatory ? When will they go to heaven ? How
can we help the poor souls get to heaven ? What
does the priest do for the poor souls ?
Why do children pray for their mother and
father that are dead ? Why do they pray for their
brothers and sisters that are dead ? Why do they
pray for their grandparents ? Why do they pray for
their friends ? Where do they help them to go ?
When will the poor souls get to heaven ? Where
will they go when they are pure ? How long will
you pray for your friends and relatives? What
do you do at funerals? What do you do when
you visit the cemetery? When will the poor
souls pray for you? For whom will they pray
after they go to heaven?
Just see how much God loves us ! He wants us
all to go to heaven. But even venial sin would
keep us out of heaven. So God gives us purgatory
so that we can get to heaven.
PURGATORY 187
If somebody asked you what you do for people
that die, what would you say ? Why do you pray
for them? We do not know whether people are
in purgatory after they die. So we always pray
for them. Our prayers will always help some
poor soul. You know there are many poor souls
in purgatory who have no friend to pray for them.
It is good to pray for these poor souls. They will
remember your goodness when they go to heaven.
Then they will pray for you.
Test Questions : 1. Where do those go who die in venial
sin ? 2. What do we do for the souls in purgatory ? 3.
When will there be no purgatory? 4. Where do souls go
when they leave purgatory ?
TWENTY-EIGHTH LESSON
The Resurrection of Our Lord
Our Lord came back to life three days after He died.
Our Lord came back to life on Easter Sunday.
We will all come back to life on the last day.
Our Lord went up to heaven forty days after He came
back to life.
Children, you told me how our Lord died. Tell
me again. How long did our Lord hang on the
cross? What did they do with our Lord's body
then?
What person of the Blessed Trinity is our Lord ?
How long has our Lord been God ? How long will
our Lord be God ? What can our Lord do ? What
does our Lord know?
You know our Lord had said He would come
back to life. So they put a great stone over His
tomb and sent soldiers there to guard it day and
night. But early in the morning, on the third
day, the big stone rolled back and our Lord came
walking out of the tomb. Imagine how surprised
the soldiers were ! When they saw our Lord,
they were afraid and ran away.
188
THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD 189
Now tell me, how did our Lord come back to
life? How could our Lord come back to life?
What can our Lord do? What did the soldiers
do when they saw our Lord alive? Who gave us
life? Which person of the Blessed Trinity is our
Lord? To whom did God give life?
Just think, children, how wonderful God is !
Our Lord was born into this world. He suffered
and died for us. Then He came back to life.
What did they do with our Lord's body? What
did they do after they buried our Lord's body?
What happened on the third day? On what
day did our Lord die ? How many days later did
our Lord come back to life? What day of the
week was that? What is that Sunday called?
How many days after good Friday is Easter
Sunday ?
After our Lord died the Blessed Virgin went
with good St. John. You know our Lord told
St. John to be like a son to His blessed mother.
That was when our Lord was hanging on the cross.
The Blessed Virgin and St. John were both stand-
ing there beside the cross. Just think how terrible
it was for the Blessed Virgin to see her divine Son
nailed to the cross ! But she stayed with Him
until He died.
How do you think the Blessed Virgin felt when
190 RELIGION
she saw our Lord alive again ? How do you think
the Apostles felt?
You know the Apostles were in a house. They
had all the doors locked. Then our Lord came
and stood there among them. Just think how
they felt ! There was our Lord alive again ! You
know our Lord's body was changed then. He could
pass through doors and walls as He pleased. The
Apostles were very, very happy indeed.
Our Lord told the Apostles many things. He
told them how He wanted the Catholic Church to
be. He told them about the Sacraments. He
told them how to teach the people. He told them
to hear Confessions and to forgive sins. He told
them to say Mass and give Holy Communion.
Our Lord came to the Apostles and talked with
them many times after that.
What did our Lord tell the Apostles? What
did He say about the Catholic Church? What
did He say about the Sacraments ? What did
He say about Confession? What did He say
about Mass and Holy Communion? What did
He tell the Apostles to do? How do you think
the Blessed Virgin felt when she could talk with
her divine Son again? Where is the Blessed
Virgin now ?
What happened on Easter Sunday ? Why was
THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD 191
our Lord able to come back to life? What can
our Lord do? Who is our Lord? Who is the
only one that was able to come back to life after
He had died?
Our Lord brought many people back to life.
Did you ever hear about Lazarus? Lazarus and
his two sisters lived together. His sisters were
Mary and Martha. Our Lord loved Lazarus.
But once Lazarus became very sick. Then Mary
and Martha sent for our Lord. But Lazarus
died before our Lord came. Mary and Martha
were very sad. After Lazarus had been dead
four days, our Lord came. Then they all went to
the grave. Our Lord stood there and prayed for a
few minutes, then He said : " Lazarus, come forth."
Imagine how happy Mary and Martha were when
they saw their brother coming out of the tomb alive !
Now tell me about Lazarus. Who were his
sisters ? What did our Lord do for them ? What
did our Lord say at the grave? Why could our
Lord bring Lazarus back to life? Who gave us
all our life ? Which person of the Blessed Trinity
is our Lord ?
How many people will have to die some day?
What part of us dies ? What happens to our body ?
To whom are good people going when they die ?
How long will we be with our Heavenly Father ?
192 RELIGION
What part of us never dies ? What can we do
after our body dies? What can the angels do?
What kind of beings are the angels? Who are
the greatest of all spirits?
When will we have our bodies again ? Who will
give us our bodies on the last day ? When will
our bodies be alive and beautiful? How long
will we have our bodies after that? Who will
bring our bodies back to life on the last day?
Who brought our Lord back to life? How could
our Lord bring Himself back to life?
When will our bodies be very beautiful ? When
will we never get sick or die? Whom will we see
in heaven ? When will we see how wonderful God
is ? When will we see our Blessed Mother ? When
will we see all the angels ? When will we see all
the saints ?
When will we see all the people that we love?
When will we be able to go about like the angels ?
Who will love us in heaven ? Whom will we love ?
How long will we be happy in heaven ?
Where will the bad people have their bodies?
How long will their bodies burn in hell ? How do
you think the bodies in hell will look? Where
does God want everybody to go? What do you
have to do to get to heaven ?
Many people saw our Lord after He came back
THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD 193
to life. He talked with them and went with them.
Of course you know there were many people
who didn't want to believe that our Lord was God.
What did it show when our Lord came back to life ?
Who is the only one that could come back to life ?
Then you know there were many people who
didn't want to believe what our Lord taught.
Why should they have believed what our Lord
taught? Why should they have known that it
was all true? Why should they have done what
our Lord told them ?
What does our Lord want all the people to believe
now? What Church did our Lord send to teach
us ? Why are you happy to believe all that the
Catholic Church teaches? What did our Lord
tell the Apostles after He came back to life ?
Do you know what happened forty days after
our Lord came back to life ? I will tell you. Our
Lord went up on a mountain. It is called Mount
Olivet. The Apostles and about five hundred
other people went with our Lord. Our Lord
spoke to them. He told them He was going
to leave them. But He promised to send the
Holy Ghost to stay with the Catholic Church to
the end of the world.
Then our Lord went up to heaven. You can
imagine how surprised the people were. For
194 RELIGION
just after our Lord had told them those things
they saw Him rising up in the air. They stood
there and watched and saw our Lord going up
to heaven. Then two angels came and told them
that our Lord would come back on the last day
of the world.
When did our Lord go up to heaven? How
many days was it after He came back to life?
Do you know what that day is called ? It is
called Ascension Day. It is a Holy Day. We
must go to Mass on Ascension Day.
How many people saw our Lord going up to
heaven? What is the day called? Why do we
all have to go to Mass on Ascension Day ? What
did the two angels say after our Lord went up to
heaven? Whom did our Lord promise to send?
How long will the Holy Ghost stay with the
Catholic Church ?
Just think, children, how good and how wonder-
ful God is ! Our divine Lord suffered and died
for our sins. Then He came" back to life. Then
He went up to heaven. We will thank God all
our life for His goodness and love to us.
Test Questions : 1. When did our Lord come back to
life? 2. On what day did our Lord come back to life?
3. When will we all come back to life ? 4. When did our
Lord go up to heaven?
TWENTY-NINTH LESSON
The Coming of the Holy Ghost
Jesus Christ sent the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost came to keep the truth in the Catholic
Church.
The Catholic Church always teaches the truth.
Jesus Christ founded the Catholic Church.
Well, children, I would like to hear you talk
about our Lord again to-day. Where was our
Lord born? Who is our Lord's mother? What
person of the Blessed Trinity is our Lord ?
Why was our Lord born into this world ? Why
is our Lord called our Redeemer? Why is our
Lord called our Saviour? How does Adam and
Eve's sin come to us ? Who was always free from
original sin ?
Why did our Lord suffer and die? Why do
you think our Lord wanted to free us from sin?
Why does our Lord want us to go to heaven?
When will our Lord forgive sinners ?
For whom did our Lord pray on the cross?
What did our Lord ask God the Father to do for
those who nailed Him to the cross? What will
you do for those who are unkind to you ? Whom
195
196 RELIGION
did our Lord forgive when He was hanging on the
cross ?
What happened three days after our Lord died ?
What will happen to us on the last day? What
happened forty days after our Lord came back to
life ? Whom did our Lord promise to send from
heaven ?
What person of the Blessed Trinity is the Holy
Ghost? Who is the third person of the Blessed
Trinity? Who is the first person of the Blessed
Trinity ? Who is the second person of the Blessed
Trinity ?
What can God the Holy Ghost do ? What does
God the Holy Ghost know? How long has the
Holy Ghost been God? How long will the Holy
Ghost be God ?
You know, children, after our Lord went up
to heaven, the Apostles went into a big room and
locked the doors. There they stayed praying
for ten days. They knew bad people would try
to kill them if they came out.
On the tenth day they heard a great noise. It
was like a big windstorm. Then the Holy Ghost
came to them. Do you know what form God
the Holy Ghost took? He took the form of
tongues. They were like tongues of fire. These
tongues came and stood above the Apostles' heads.
THE COMING OF THE HOLY GHOST 197
That is the way the Holy Ghost came upon the
Apostles.
Now, if some one asked you whom our Lord
promised to send from heaven, what would you
say? If he asked you what did the Apostles do
after our Lord went up to heaven, what would
you say ?
What happened on the tenth day? What form
did the Holy Ghost take?
Who is the Holy Ghost ? Why could the Holy
Ghost take any form He wished? What can the
Holy Ghost do? Do you know on what day the
Holy Ghost came? The Holy Ghost came on
Pentecost. How many days after Ascension Day
is Pentecost? What happened ten days after
our Lord went up to heaven?
How many days after Easter is Ascension Day ?
Why did the Holy Ghost come? How did God
the Holy Ghost show that He loves us? How
many of us does God love ? Where does God the
Holy Ghost want us to go when we die ?
What kind of people pray to God the Holy
Ghost? How many days did the Apostles pray
for the Holy Ghost to come? For what did they
pray nine days? What happened on the tenth
day ? On what day did the Holy Ghost come ?
Did you ever hear about the novena to the Holy
198 RELIGION
Ghost? It is nine days of prayer to God the
Holy Ghost. We make the novena to the Holy
Ghost nine days before Pentecost.
Now, if some one asked you what is the novena
to the Holy Ghost, what would you say? When
do we make the novena to the Holy Ghost ? How
many days do we pray when we make this novena ?
Do you know what the Holy Ghost wants to do
for us? The Holy Ghost wants to make us all
good and holy. He brings us many gifts from
heaven to make us holy.
Now what does the Holy Ghost want to do for
us ? What did the Holy Ghost bring us ? When
did the Apostles receive the Holy Ghost? What
did the Apostles do after that? When did they
go out and teach the people how to be good ?
When were the Apostles very brave?
The Apostles were very brave after the Holy
Ghost came to them. They went out over the
whole world teaching people our holy Faith.
Bad people killed them all, trying to keep them
from teaching the people. They are all martyrs.
When do you think you will receive the Holy
Ghost ? Whom will you receive in the Sacrament
of Confirmation? Who will make you brave as
the Apostles were ?
i Why do you believe all that the Catholic Church
THE COMING OF THE HOLY GHOST 199
teaches ? Who sent the Catholic Church to teach
us ? How do we know all that our Lord and the
Apostles taught?
What Church teaches us all that God told the
patriarchs and the prophets? When do we have
faith? What does it mean to believe all that
the Catholic Church teaches ?
Who sent the Holy Ghost ? Why does the Holy
Ghost stay with the Catholic Church? Who
keeps the truth in the Catholic Church ? Why are
you sure the Catholic Church always teaches the
truth? What divine person stays with the
Catholic Church ? What does the Holy Ghost
do for the Catholic Church?
Just think how happy we are ! God Himself
tells us the truth that He wants us to know. He
sends the Catholic Church to teach us. Then God
the Holy Ghost comes to watch over the Catholic
Church so that it will always teach us the truth.
For what can you thank the Holy Ghost every
day? What does the Holy Ghost do for us?
What shows how God the Holy Ghost loves us?
Why did He come to stay with the Catholic Church ?
Why are you sure that the Catholic Church can
never teach anything else than the truth? Who
watches over the Catholic Church? Why does
the Holy Ghost watch over the Catholic Church ?
200 RELIGION
When do we make the novena to the Holy
Ghost ? How often would you like to pray to the
Holy Ghost? Who will help you know our holy
Faith better? What does the Holy Ghost want
to do for us ? Why does the Holy Ghost want to
make us good and holy ?
Why did God give us the Catholic Church?
What did God want the Catholic Church to teach
us? Who helps the Catholic Church teach all
that our Lord and the Apostles taught ?
Why does the Holy Ghost stay with the Catholic
Church? What does the Holy Ghost do for the
Catholic Church? Why are you sure that the
Catholic Church always teaches the truth ? How
long will the Holy Ghost stay with the Catholic
Church? Which person of the Blessed Trinity
will stay with the Catholic Church until the end
of the world? Who is the third person of the
Blessed Trinity? What can the Holy Ghost do?
What does the Holy Ghost know ?
Why does the Catholic Church always teach
the truth? Who guides the Catholic Church?
How long will the Holy Ghost guide the Catholic
Church ?
Why did our Lord send the Holy Ghost to the
Catholic Church alone? What Church is our
Lord's only Church? What is the only Church
THE COMING OF THE HOLY GHOST 201
that can teach us God's truth ? What is the only
Church that God sent to teach us? Why, then,
are you happy to belong to the Catholic Church ?
Where can we learn God's truth ? Why can we
learn the truth from the Catholic Church alone?
What do we have to believe to get to heaven?
Who wants us to believe all that the Catholic
Church teaches? Why are you happy to believe
all that the Catholic Church teaches ?
Say the Act of Faith. When do people have
faith ? What can you do for people that don't
believe in the Catholic Church. What can you
ask God to do for them ? When can you ask God
to give them faith ? What should they pray for ?
Why should they pray for faith ?
What would they believe if they had faith?
When would they believe all that the Catholic
Church teaches? Who made the people turn
against our Lord? What did the false teachers
say about our Lord? What do false teachers
say about the Catholic Church? What do false
teachers say about priests?
Why are you happy to belong to the Catholic
Church ? What Church teaches you all that God
wants you to know? What Church teaches you
all that God wants you to do? What do you
have to do to get to heaven? Who keeps the
202 RELIGION
truth in the Catholic Church? Why are you
sure that the Catholic Church always teaches the
truth? Who is the Holy Ghost?
How do we know what our Lord and the Apostles
taught? What does our Lord want us all to
know ? Who started the Catholic Church ? Why
did our Lord start the Catholic Church? What
does our Lord want the Catholic Church to teach us ?
Yes, children, our Lord founded the Catholic
Church. He wanted us to know God's truth.
That is why He founded the Catholic Church.
How many people do you think our Lord wants
to belong to the Catholic Church? Why does
He want all the people to belong to the Catholic
Church ? To what Church do they have to belong
to get to heaven?
Why do you think many people don't belong to
the Catholic Church ? How many know that the
Catholic Church is the Lord's only Church?
What do false teachers say about our Lord's
Church ? When will God forgive people that don't
belong to the Catholic Church ? What should they
try to learn ? What should they learn to believe ?
What can you do for people that don't belong
to the Catholic Church? What can you do for
those that say bad things about the Catholic
Church? How often can you pray for them?
THE COMING OF THE HOLY GHOST 203
Why do you think our Lord founded only one
Church? What Church did He want to teach
all the people in the world? What do people
have to believe if they want to go to heaven?
Whose Church is the Catholic Church? Who
founded the Catholic Church? How long is it
since our Lord founded the Catholic Church?
What Church did our Lord found nineteen hundred
years ago ?
How long will the Catholic Church last ? What
Church will last until the end of the world ? Why
does the Catholic Church always teach the same
truth? Who stays with the Catholic Church
always? Why does the Catholic Church teach
the same truth all over the world? Who helps
the Catholic Church teach the truth ?
Thank God, children, because you belong to
the Catholic Church. You are indeed happy
to have the Catholic Church to teach you God's
holy truth. It shows again how much God loves
us.
Test Questions: 1. Who sent the Holy Ghost? 2.
What does the Holy Ghost do for the Catholic Church ?
3. When does the Catholic Church teach the truth? 4.
Who founded the Catholic Church?
THIRTIETH LESSON
The Catholic Church
The Apostles were the first priests of the Catholic Church.
Jesus Christ is the head of the Catholic Church.
The Pope rules the Catholic Church for our Lord.
St. Peter was the first Pope.
It was fine, children, to hear you tell so much
about the Catholic Church. You know why God
sent us the Catholic Church. You know why
the Holy Ghost stays with the Catholic Church.
Whose Church is the Catholic Church? Why
did our Lord start only one Church ? How many
people does He want the Catholic Church to teach ?
Why does everybody have to belong to the Catho-
lic Church? To what Church do they have to
belong to get to heaven ?
What will you do for people that don't belong
to the Catholic Church? What will you ask
God to do for them ? Why are you sure that the
Catholic Church always teaches the truth ? Who
guides the Catholic Church? How long will the
Holy Ghost guide the Catholic Church?
804
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 205
Who teaches us what the Catholic Church
teaches? Who says Mass? Who baptized you
when you were a little baby? Who hears con-
fessions and forgives sins? Who gives Holy
Communion? Who comes to people when they
are dying ? Who has funerals for people that die ?
Why do you call the priest father ? Who teaches
you like a good father? Who takes care of your
soul like a father ? Why do you honor and respect
the priest ? Who does God's work for you ?
Who were the first priests of the Catholic
Church ? Who made the Apostles priests ? Who
made the Apostles bishops, too? The Apostles
were the first priests and bishops of the Catholic
Church. Our Lord Himself ordained them priests.
He made them bishops, too. What did the
Apostles teach? Why do the priests teach what
the Apostles taught? Who sent them to teach
that?
Who said Mass just after our Lord went up to
heaven? Who heard confessions and forgave
sins ? To whom did the Apostles give Holy
Communion? Who used to visit people when
they were sick then ?
Who gave the people the Sacrament of Con-
firmation just after our Lord went up to heaven ?
Who baptized the people then? Who gave the
206 RELIGION
people all the Sacraments at that time? Who
ordained other priests after our Lord died ?
Who were the first bishops of the Catholic
Church? Who made other bishops after that?
Who ordained priests after the Apostles died?
In how many parts of the world are there
priests? Who sent the priests to teach you?
What do the priests teach you ? Who teaches you
what our Lord and the Apostles taught? Why
are you happy to believe what the priests teach ?
Why do we have to believe what the Catholic
Church teaches? What do we have to believe
to get to heaven ?
Where did the Catholic Church come from?
Who first taught what the Catholic Church
teaches? What Church teaches what our Lord
and the Apostles taught? Who taught the
Apostles ? How did the Apostles become priests ?
Who is the head of the Catholic Church? Of
what Church is our Lord the head? How long
has our Lord been head of the Catholic Church?
How long will our Lord be head of the Catholic
Church?
To whom do we really belong when we belong
to the Catholic Church? Why does our Lord
want us to belong to Him? How many of us
does our Lord love? How did our Lord show
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 207
how much He loves us? Why was He born into
the world ? Why did He suffer and die ?
Why did Jesus Christ send the Holy Ghost to
the Catholic Church? What does the Holy
Ghost do for the Catholic Church? Why are
we sure that the Catholic Church always teaches
the truth ?
Why are we happy to belong to the Catholic
Church? What do we have to do to get to
heaven ? How do we know what God wants
us to do ? Who made the Catholic Church holy ?
From whom does the Catholic Church come?
Who is the head of the Catholic Church? Who
makes people holy in the Catholic Church?
When do we become members of the Catholic
Church? Of what Church did we become mem-
bers when we were baptized ? Why do you always
obey the Catholic Church ? Whom are you really
obeying when you obey the Catholic Church?
How do we know what our Lord and the Apostles
taught? What Church did our Lord give us to
teach us? How many people did our Lord want
the Catholic Church to teach?
Who is the head of the Catholic Church ? How
long will our Lord be head of the Catholic Church ?
Who were the first priests of the Catholic Church ?
Who were the first bishops of the Catholic
208 RELIGION
Church? How do all the priests and bishops
come down from the Apostles ?
Who taught the Apostles to say Mass? When
did our Lord say Mass ? What did He do at the
Last Supper ? Why could our Lord forgive sins ?
Who gave the Apostles power to forgive sins?
Who forgives sins now? For whom do the
priests forgive people their sins? Who forgive
sins for God? In whose name do they teach the
people ? Who teaches the people in God's name ?
How long has our Lord been the head of the
Catholic Church? Who has been head of the
Catholic Church for nineteen hundred years?
Whom did Jesus Christ send from heaven to the
Catholic Church? Why does the Holy Ghost
stay with the Catholic Church?
How long has our Lord been God? How long
will our Lord be God? What can our Lord do?
How long will our Lord be the head of the Catholic
Church ?
Who ordained the first priests of the Catholic
Church ? Who were the first priests ? Who were
the first bishops of the Catholic Church ? Who or-
dained the next priests after that ? Who ordains
priests now ? Whom does the bishop ordain ?
Who tells the priest what to do? Who sent
the bishop to tell them what to do? Who sends
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 209
the priests to be your pastors ? Who is the head
priest of the diocese? Our Holy Father, the
Pope, sends the bishop to take care of the priests.
Our Holy Father, the Pope, lives in Rome. All
the bishops of the world do what our Holy Father
tells them. Our Holy Father is over all the
bishops of the world.
Who is the head of the Catholic Church ? Who
rules the Church for our Lord ? What Church does
our Holy Father, the Pope, rule for our Lord ?
Whom do the bishops obey? Why do they
obey our Holy Father, the Pope? Whom do the
priests obey? Why do they obey the bishops?
Who sent the bishop to rule over them? Whom
do the people obey? Why do they obey the
priests? Who sent the priests to teach them?
In whose name does our Holy Father teach all
the people in the world ? Who teaches the whole
world in Christ's name? Who guides our Holy
Father when he teaches all the people in the
world? When does the Holy Ghost guide him?
Why are you sure that our Holy Father always
teaches the truth to all the people of the world ?
What person of the Blessed Trinity guides him ?
Who is the head of the Church on earth ? Who
in heaven is the head of the Catholic Church?
What does our Holy Father do for Jesus Christ ?
210 RELIGION
Why do we honor and love our Holy Father so
much? Who teaches God's holy truth to all the
people in the world? Who sends good bishops
and priests to take care of our souls ?
Who do you think holds the highest place in the
world? For whom does our Holy Father rule
the Catholic Church ? There are about three
hundred millions of Catholics in the world. How
many of them love our Holy Father? Why do
they all love him ?
Who sent our Holy Father to watch over the
Catholic Church ? Why does our Holy Father
love us all so much ? Who sent him to love us ?
What does our Holy Father help us to do ? Who
helps us to get to heaven ?
How many people does our Holy Father want to
get to heaven? Who wants all the people in the
world to get to heaven ? How many people does
our Holy Father pray for? Who prays for all
the people in the world? Why does our Holy
Father pray for you? Why does he love you?
What can you do to show that you love our
Holy Father? How often can you pray for our
Holy Father? Who wants you to pray for our
Holy Father? What will God do for our Holy
Father every time you pray for him? What can
you ask God to do for our Holy Father? When
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 211
can you ask God to help him to rule the Catholic
Church well ?
Shall we all kneel now and say a prayer for our
Holy Father?
Kneel with the children and say a prayer for the
Sovereign Pontiff. The children will remember
this salutary lesson.
PRAYER FOR THE POPE
Dear Lord, help our Holy Father, the Pope.
Help him rule Your Church well. Give him
strength to do the great work he is doing for You
on earth. Make his heart strong, dear Lord, so
that he will not fear the wicked. Give light to
his mind so that he will guide the bishops and
priests well. Give him peace of heart every day
of his life, and give him the grace to be happy
with You forever in heaven. Amen.
What kind of people say false things about our
Holy Father sometimes? What did the false
teachers say about our Lord? What do you
think our Holy Father does for people that say
bad things about him? Why does he pray for
them? For whom did our Lord pray when He
was hanging on the cross ?
Why does our Holy Father try to help all the
212 RELIGION
people in the world ? How many of them does he
love? Why does our Holy Father give so much
to people that are poor and in trouble ?
Who send our Holy Father money so that he
can help people that are poor and in trouble?
Who send money so that the Holy Father can
help build churches? Why is a collection taken
up for the Holy Father? When can even little
children send something to our Holy Father that
way, too ? What will our Holy Father do for you
if you pray for him and help him to do good ?
Who were the first priests of the Catholic
Church ? Who told the Apostles what to do ?
Who do you think told the Apostles what to do
after our Lord died ?
After our Lord died, St. Peter told them what
to do. You know St. Peter was the first Pope.
Our Lord made St. Peter Pope. The other
Apostles were bishops, too. They obeyed^ St.
Peter because he was Pope. St. Peter was bishop
of Rome. He lived there many years. That is
why the bishop of Rome is always Pope.
Now, if some one asked you who was the first
Pope, what would you say? Who made St. Peter
Pope? Who obeyed St. Peter? Whom did the
other Apostles obey? Why did the other Apostles
obey St. Peter?
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 213
Where was St. Peter bishop? Where did he live
for many years? Why is the bishop of Rome al-
ways Pope? What did St. Peter do for our Lord?
Who ruled the Catholic Church in the beginning?
Who rules the Catholic Church now?
You see, children, how our Lord takes care of
thef Catholic Church. He made St. Peter the first
Pope. When St. Peter died another bishop be-
came Pope. He was St. Linus. When St.
Linus died St. Cletus became Pope. When St.
Cletus died St. Clement became Pope. That is
the way it came down from one Pope to another,
from St. Peter to our present Holy Father. There
have been 259 Popes since St. Peter.
Who made St. Peter Pope ? How many Popes
have there been? What is our Holy Father's
name now ?
Who has always helped all the Popes teach the
truth? How long will the Holy Ghost help the
Popes teach the truth? Why are you sure that
all the Popes always taught the truth to the
world? How long has the Holy Ghost helped
them?
For whom did all the Popes rule the Catholic
Church ? What did the false teachers say about
our Lord? What do they often say about the
Popes ? Who tries to make people say bad things
214 RELIGION
about the Catholic Church? Why does the devil
hate the Catholic Church? What Church tries
to keep people from hell ?
What do you think our Holy Father does for
people that tell false things about him? What
did bad people do to St. Peter? Who put him
to death ?
Do you know how they killed St. Peter ? They
nailed him to a cross. But they nailed him to
the cross with his head down and his feet up. He
asked them to put him that way; for he said
he was not worthy to be nailed to the cross as our
Lord was.
Thank God, children, every day of your life
because you belong to God's holy church. Be
proud that you are Catholics. The Catholic
Church will lead you to God. You will always be
happy when you are true to the Catholic Church.
Test Questions: 1. Who were the first priests of the
Catholic Church? 2. Who is the head of the Catholic
Church ? 3. Who rules the Catholic Church for our Lord ?
4. Who was the first Pope ?
THIRTY-FIRST LESSON
Divine Grace
God's grace is a new life for our soul.
We need God's grace to get to heaven.
Jesus Christ gave us the seven Sacraments.
The Sacraments give us God's grace.
Children, you told me that we all come from
God. You told me that God gave us life. Now,
to-day, we will talk about God's grace. You
know God's grace is a new life for us. It is a new
life for our soul.
Where do we get our life ? Who keeps us alive
every minute ? Who gives us strength and health
to do things ? What can we do with the life God
gave us when we were born? Who made us so
that we can eat, drink, and sleep ? Why can we
walk, and run, and play ? Why can we talk, and
listen, and think ?
Yes, when we were born God gave us life so
that we can do things for this earth. But you
know God gives us another life so that we can
do things that will take us to heaven. This new
life is in our soul. It is called divine grace.
215
216 RELIGION
Now tell me what does God do for us so that
we can do things that will take us to heaven?
What does God give to our soul so that we can get
to heaven? What is this new life called? What
is divine grace for our soul ?
Do you know what divine grace does for our
soul? It gives us new strength. It makes our
soul beautiful. It makes our soul holy. It makes
our soul pleasing to God. It makes us friends of
God.
Now if some one asked you what is the new life
that God gives to your soul, what would you say ?
What does divine grace do for your soul? What
makes your soul beautiful? What makes your
soul holy? What makes your soul pleasing to
God ? What makes you friends of God ?
You see, children, God's grace is a new life for
us so that we can serve God and get to heaven.
Divine grace gives us strength to serve God.
Divine grace makes us able to keep the Com-
mandments. Divine grace makes us able to keep
from sin. Now tell me, why are we able to serve
God? Why are we able to keep the Command-
ments ? Why are we able to avoid sin ?
Can you imagine, children, how wonderful and
how great God is ! When we have divine grace,
we have some of God's life in our soul.
DIVINE GRACE 217
When can we serve God? When can we keep
the Commandments ? When can we avoid sin ?
What makes your soul beautiful? Who gives
you divine grace? Why does God want to make
your soul beautiful? Why does God love you
so much? What makes your soul holy? What
does divine grace do for your soul ? What makes
God love your soul? What makes your soul
pleasing to God ?
What makes us able to serve God? What
makes us able to keep the Commandments?
What makes us able to avoid sin ?
Yes, children, divine grace is a great gift of
God to us. Divine grace makes our soul holy.
Divine grace makes our soul pleasing to God.
What do we need so that we can serve God?
What do we need so that we can keep the Com-
mandments? What do we need so that we can
avoid sin? What makes us friends of God?
God loves His friends very much. You know,
children, God is very far above us. God has a
life that is far, far above ours. When we have
divine grace we belong to God's life. We are
united to God. Whom does God love very much ?
When do we become friends of God? When do
we belong to God's life ? What unites us to God ?
Why did God make us ? Who sent the Catholic
218 RELIGION
Church to teach us? What does God give you
so that you can do all that He wants you to do?
What can you do when you have divine grace ?
What is a new life for your soul? What does
God's grace do for your soul? Why do we have
to keep the Commandments ? What do we have
to do to get to heaven? What do we have to
avoid to get to heaven? What makes us able
to do this ? What do we need so that we can get
to heaven ? Why do we need God's grace ?
Nobody can get to heaven without God's grace.
We need God's grace to get to heaven. What
makes our soul beautiful? When does God love
our soul ? When do we become friends of God ?
Why do you need divine grace? What do we
need to get to heaven? To whom does divine
grace unite you? What is a new life for your
soul ? What does divine grace do for your soul ?
What does it make you able to do ?
Why did our Lord come to earth? What did
He come to free us from ? What did He come to
save us from? When did our Lord free us from
sin ? From what did He free us when He died on
the cross? Who brought us God's grace from
heaven? What did our Lord bring us from
heaven ?
Yes, our divine Lord brought us God's grace
DIVINE GRACE 219
from heaven. Before that nobody could go to
heaven. Our Lord brought us God's grace so
that we can get to heaven.
Now, if some one asked you who brought God's
grace from heaven, what would you say? Why
do we need God's grace? Why could nobody go
to heaven before our Lord came ?
When did Adam and Eve lose God's grace?
What did they lose when they fell into sin ? What
is the only thing that could take God's grace from
the soul ? What does mortal sin take away from
the soul ? How did we get God's grace again after
Adam and Eve lost it ? Who brought it to us ?
Yes, our Lord brought God's grace to us. Do
you know how He gives God's grace to us? He
gives God's grace to us in the Sacraments. Do
you know how many Sacraments Jesus Christ
gave us? He gave us seven Sacraments. These
seven Sacraments bring God's grace into our soul.
Now, how many Sacraments did Jesus Christ
give us? What do the Sacraments bring into
our soul? What Sacrament did you receive
when you were a little baby ? When did you
receive the Sacrament of Baptism?
What Sacrament will the bishop come to give
you some day? When will you receive the
Sacrament of Confirmation? What Sacrament
220 RELIGION
will you receive when you go to Confession?
When will you receive the Sacrament of Penance ?
What Sacrament will you receive when you
make your First Communion? When will you
receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist?
What Sacrament do people receive when they get
married ? When do people receive the Sacrament
of Matrimony ? What Sacrament makes men
priests? When do men receive the Sacrament
of Holy Orders? What Sacrament do people
receive when they are dying? When do they
receive the Sacrament of Extreme Unction ? Who
gave us the seven Sacraments ?
What brings God's grace into our soul? What
do the Sacraments bring into our soul? How
many people does our Lord want to have divine
grace? Why do we all need divine grace?
Who brought God's grace from heaven? How
does our Lord give us God's grace? What does
our Lord give us in the Sacraments ? What
Church keeps the Sacraments for our Lord ? Why
did our Lord give the Sacraments to the Catholic
Church alone? What Church is our Lord's only
Church?
Now, if some one asked you what do the Sacra-
ments give us, what would you say? But why
do we need God's grace? Who wants us to pray
DIVINE GRACE 221
for grace? Why do good people pray every day
for grace ?
Who was full of grace ? Who gave the Blessed
Virgin Mary so much grace ? When do we say —
" Hail, Mary, full of grace " ? Say the Hail Mary.
What made the Blessed Virgin as pure as the
angels ? What did God's grace do for the Blessed
Virgin ?
What made St. Joseph so holy? What did
God's grace do for him ? What made the Apostles
so holy? What made the martyrs so brave?
What made all the saints holy ?
What makes so many people good? What
makes you friends of God? When did you
become friends of God? What is a new life for
your soul? How does our Lord give us this new
life? Why do good people receive the Sacra-
ments so often? What does God's grace do for
your soul ?
Yes, children, God's grace is a new life for your
soul. Thank God for His grace. It is God's
greatest gift to you. God loves you. He will
always give you His grace when you try to be
good.
Test Questions: 1. What is a new life for our soul?
2. What do we need to get to heaven ? 3. Who gave us
the seven Sacraments ? 4. What do the Sacraments give us ?
THIRTY-SECOND LESSON
The Sacrament of Baptism
Baptism is the first Sacrament.
Baptism takes away original sin.
We need Baptism to get to heaven.
The priest baptizes us.
The last time you were here, children, you told
me many things about divine grace. What makes
our soul beautiful ? What makes our soul pleasing
to God ? What makes people holy ?
Who was full of grace ? Where did the Blessed
Virgin get so much grace? What made St.
Joseph so holy? What made the Apostles so
holy ? What made the saints holy ? What made
the martyrs so brave?
What makes so many people good ? Why do we
need God's grace? When can we serve God?
What is a new life for our soul? To whom does
divine grace unite us? What makes us friends
of God?
Who brought divine grace to us from heaven?
When did our Lord bring divine grace to us?
222
THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM 223
What did our Lord gain for us when He suffered
and died for us? How do we get God's grace?
What do the Sacraments give us? Who gave
us the Sacraments ?
What Sacrament did you receive when you were
a little baby? When did you receive the Sacra-
ment of Baptism? What did you get when you
were baptized? When did you get God's grace
first? What did Baptism do for your soul?
What made your soul beautiful ? What made
your soul pleasing to God ? What made you holy ?
Where do you think you would have gone if
you had died just after you were baptized ? What
Sacrament gave a new life to your soul ? What is
this new life? Why was it like being born again
when you were baptized ? What new life did you
receive then ?
What Sacrament made you children of God?
WThat Sacrament made you members of the
Catholic Church? When did you first receive
God's grace? What did you receive when you
were baptized? What makes us friends of God?
When did you become friends of God? How
many Sacraments give us God's grace?
What is the first Sacrament that everybody
must receive? When did you receive the Sacra-
ment of Baptism? When did you become chil-
224 RELIGION
dren of God? Where do babies go that die
after Baptism? What does Baptism do for their
soul ?
To whom do you belong when you have God's
grace ? When do you belong to God ? To whom
do people belong that haven't God's grace ? Who
belong to the devil ?
What do the Sacraments give us? What is
a new life for our soul ? What made you children
of God? Who belong to God? Who belong to
the devil? When did you first belong to God?
What Sacrament made you members of the
Catholic Church ?
What sin are we born in? How many people
are born in the sin of Adam and Eve ? What sin is
called original sin? Who was always free from
original sin? Who kept the Blessed Virgin Mary
always free from sin?
What sin kept divine grace out of your soul
when you were born? What Sacrament took
original sin away from your soul? What sin
did Baptism take away from your soul?
When did you first get divine grace? What
made your soul holy ? What made your soul
pleasing to God ?
What Sacrament took original sin away from
your soul? Why were you not children of God
THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM 225
when you were born? What sin was on your
soul when you were born? What made you
children of God after that?
What did Baptism give you ? What did divine
grace do for your soul? What made your soul
beautiful? Why did our Lord give us the Sacra-
ment of Baptism? Why does He love us so
much ?
Why do we need God's grace? What do we
need so that we can get to heaven? What
Sacrament first gave you God's grace ?
Why do we need Baptism? What Sacrament
do we need so that we can get to heaven ? Why
does everybody have to be baptized ? What does
Baptism take away from the soul?
What do we do to have original sin taken away
from our soul? What Sacrament do we receive?
What sin comes down from Adam and Eve ? In
what sin are we born? What frees us from
original sin?
Why are we not children of God when we are
born? WHiat sin is on our soul? Why does
everybody have to be baptized ? What sin do
babies have on their soul before they are baptized ?
To whom do you belong now ? What Sacra-
ment made you children of God? Who gave us
the Sacrament of Baptism? Why do we need
226 RELIGION
the Sacrament of Baptism? What Sacrament do
we need to get to heaven ?
When were you born again? When did you
get a new life for your soul ? What is a new life
for your soul? When did you first get God's
grace ? When did you become children of God ?
If people were not baptized when they were
little, when can they be baptized? How many
sins does Baptism take away from grown people's
soul? What Sacrament takes away all their
sins?
Yes, Baptism takes away all their sins. It
takes away original sin; and it takes away all
their other sins, too.
What does Baptism do for their soul? What
makes their soul beautiful ? What makes their
soul pleasing to God? What Sacrament makes
people children of God? Why do they all need
Baptism ?
Who brought God's grace from heaven ? What
do the Sacraments give us ? What Church gives
us the Sacraments? Who founded the Catholic
Church ? Why can only the Catholic Church
give us the Sacraments? What Church is our
Lord's only Church ?
Where did they take you to baptize you ? Who
went with you to the church ? What did your
THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM 227
godfather and godmother do ? Who carried you ?
Who held you while you were being baptized ?
Who baptized you? Who sent the priest to
baptize you? Why did our Lord send the priest
to baptize you? When did you become children
of God ?
The priest poured water on your head when he
baptized you. While he was pouring water on
your head he said : "I baptize thee in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Ghost."
Do you know what the priest asked you before
he baptized you? He asked you what you
wanted the Church to teach you. Of course, you
were a little baby then. You couldn't talk. So
your godfather and godmother answered for you.
They said you wanted the Catholic Church to
teach you our holy Faith.
Now, what did your godfather and godmother
answer for you? Why are you happy to believe
all that the Catholic Church teaches? What
does the Catholic Church teach? What Church
teaches all that our Lord and the Apostles taught ?
What would you say now if the priest asked you
what you want the Catholic Church to teach you ?
When you were baptized the priest asked you
these questions. Answer them now.
228 RELIGION
Do you believe that God made heaven and
earth and all things? I do believe that God
made heaven and earth. Do you believe that
our Lord was born and suffered and died for us ?
I do believe that our Lord was born and suffered
and died for us. Do you believe in the Holy
Ghost ? I do believe in the Holy Ghost.
Do you believe in the Catholic Church? I do
believe in the Catholic Church. Do you believe
that our bodies will rise again on the last day?
I do believe that our bodies will rise again on
the last day. Do you believe that we will live
forever in heaven? I do believe that we will live
forever in heaven.
That is fine, children. Your godfather and god-
mother answered that for you when you were
baptized. They also made some promises for you.
They promised that you would never listen to the
devil when he tries to make you sin. They
promised that you would always keep from every-
thing bad. Of course, you would promise that
now. Answer now : Do you promise to keep
from listening to the devil? Do you promise to
keep from all that is bad ?
Now tell me what did the priest do when he
baptized you? What did he say while he was
pouring water on your head? (Teach them the
THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM 229
formula.) When would you be allowed to baptize
a baby ? Suppose you couldn't get a priest, what
could you do for a baby that was dying ?
Yes, children, you could baptize it. Of course,
if there was some grown person there who knew
how to baptize, you would let him do it.
When do you think you could baptize a big
person that was dying if he had never been
baptized? If you saw some poor man dying and
he wanted to be baptized, what would you do?
Why would you try to get the priest? And if
you couldn't get the priest and there was no
grown person who knew how, what would you
do ? How would you baptize him ? Where would
you pour the water? What would you say while
you were pouring the water on his head? When
would you say? — "I baptize thee, etc."
Why do they baptize little babies as soon as
they can ? When do little babies become children
of God ? Why do we have to be baptized ? How
many people have to be baptized to go to heaven ?
When did you become children of God ? What
made you Christians ? What made you members
of the Catholic Church? What did Baptism
take away from your soul ? What did Baptism
give you ?
Why did they give you the name of a saint at
230 RELIGION
Baptism? Who is your patron saint? Which
saint prays most for you ?
What did the priest do when he baptized you?
What did he say ? Who sent the priest to baptize
you ? Why do we need Baptism ?
Thank God, children, because He gave us the
Sacrament of Baptism. It made you Christians
and children of God. It took sin away from your
soul and gave you God's grace. It made you
members of the Catholic Church.
Test Questions: 1. Which is the first Sacrament?
2. What sin does Baptism take away ? 3. Why do we need
Baptism? 4. Who baptizes us?
THIRTY-THIRD LESSON
The Sacrament of Confirmation
The Sacrament of Confirmation gives us God's grace.
The Holy Ghost comes to us in the Sacrament of Con-
firmation.
Confirmation makes us strong in faith.
The bishop gives us the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Children, I should like to hear you talk about the
Sacraments again to-day. What Sacrament have
you all received? What did Baptism give you?
What new life did Baptism give you? What sin
did Baptism take away from your soul? When
were you born again ? When did you become
Christians ? Why did you need Baptism ?
How many Sacraments are there? Who gave
us the Sacraments? What do the Sacraments
give us? What does God's grace do for your
soul? When do you become friends of God?
Why do you need divine grace?
When did the Holy Ghost come upon the
Apostles ? What form did the Holy Ghost take ?
What did the Apostles do after that? When
did they go out to preach our Faith?
231
232 RELIGION
The Holy Ghost will come to you, too. The
Holy Ghost will come to you in the Sacrament of
Confirmation. You know Confirmation is one of
the Sacraments. How many Sacraments did our
Lord give us ? Which is the first Sacrament ? In
what Sacrament will the Holy Ghost come to you ?
On what day did the Holy Ghost come upon the
Apostles? How many days is Pentecost after
Ascension? What person of the Blessed Trinity
made the Apostles strong and brave? Why will
you be happy to receive Confirmation ?
Whom will you receive in Confirmation ? When
will the Holy Ghost come to you? Who will be
in your soul when you are confirmed? Who will
bring you more of God's grace in the Sacrament of
Confirmation ?
When will the Holy Ghost bring many gifts
for your soul ? Who will make you holy when you
are confirmed ? Who will help you to think more
about God and about heaven?
Who will help you know better what God wants
you to do ? Who will help you be careful to keep
from sin ? Who will make you strong so that
you can do what God wants you to do ?
What person of the Blessed Trinity will come to
you in Confirmation? Who will help you know
better what is right and what is wrong? Who
THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION 233
will help you love God more than ever ? Who will
help you keep the Commandments?
Who is the Holy Ghost? What person of the
Blessed Trinity is the Holy Ghost? How long
has the Holy Ghost been God ? How long will the
Holy Ghost be God ?
What can the Holy Ghost do ? What does the
Holy Ghost know? Why does God the Holy
Ghost love you ?
When do you make the novena to the Holy
Ghost ? Why will you pray every day to the Holy
Ghost ? When will the Holy Ghost come to you ?
When will the Holy Ghost live in your soul?
What will the Holy Ghost bring for your soul
when He comes to you ?
What do the Sacraments give us? How many
Sacraments give us God's grace? What will
Confirmation give you? What Sacrament will
bring the Holy Ghost into your soul ? Who gave
us the Sacrament of Confirmation?
Why must we be free from sin when we are
confirmed ? What makes the soul holy and pleas-
ing to God ? What does divine grace do for your
soul ? Why must our soul be holy and pleasing to
God when we receive Confirmation ? Who comes
to us then ? Why will you go to Confession before
Confirmation? Why must we be free from sin
234 RELIGION
then ? Why do you have to be baptized before you
are confirmed ? From what sin does Baptism free
us ? Why must our soul be pure when we are
confirmed ?
Why did the Apostles stay locked up in a room ?
What did bad people want to do to them ? What
happened on the tenth day? What form did the
Holy Ghost take ?
Why were the Apostles brave after that ? Who
made the Apostles strong in faith ? For what did
the Apostles die? Why did bad people kill the
Apostles? Who wanted them to deny our holy
Faith?
Who made the Apostles so brave? When will
you receive the Holy Ghost? Why will you be
strong after that? Who will live in your soul
then? Why will you be always ready after that
to do what God wants you to do ?
What will the Holy Ghost do for you? Who
will make you strong in faith? Why will you
always keep from being ashamed when anybody
makes fun of your Faith? Who will give you
courage to keep you from being ashamed ?
Why will you always have courage to make the
sign of the cross no matter who is looking at you ?
Who will make you strong in faith ? Why will you
always bless yourself and say grace at meals no
THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION 235
matter how many people are looking at you?
Why will you always have courage to say your
prayers no matter who laughs at you ? Why will
you be strong in faith ?
Why do bad people sometimes make fun of
those who go to church? Who tells them to do
that? Why will you always go to church no
matter who laughs at you? Who will give you
courage to do what God wants you to do? Who
will make you strong in faith ?
What did the pagans want the martyrs to do?
Who wanted them to deny our holy Faith ? Why
were the martyrs willing to die rather than deny
our holy Faith? What made them strong in
faith? Why will you always keep from being
ashamed of your holy Faith? What Sacrament
makes you strong in faith? Why do you love
your holy Faith so much? Who gives us our
holy Faith ?
If somebody asked why you believe what the
Catholic Church teaches, what would you tell
him? Why does God want you to believe what
the Catholic Church teaches? What must we
believe to go to heaven? What does it mean to
have faith? What does it mean to believe all
that the Catholic Church teaches?
Why do we have to have faith ? Why will you
236 RELIGION
always be proud of your holy Faith? Who first
taught our holy Faith? What does the Catholic
Church teach ? What Church teaches all that our
Lord and the Apostles taught ?
Why would you keep from paying attention if
people laughed at you when you are saying your
prayers? Why do you always do what God
wants you to do? Why will you always go to
church no matter what others say ? Why do you
serve God ? Who will make you strong in faith ?
When will the Holy Ghost come to you ? Why
will you always say grace at meals no matter who
is there ? What makes you strong in faith ? Why
will you always keep from eating meat on Friday
no matter where you are? If you are with
Protestants and do not eat meat on Friday, what
does that show? Why are you always proud to
show that you are a Catholic ?
Whose Church is the Catholic Church? To
whom do you belong when you belong to the
Catholic Church ? When did you become children
of God? What Sacrament made you members
of the Catholic Church? Who died for the
Catholic Faith? For what did the Apostles die?
For what did the martyrs die ?
Who will give you the courage to leave others
when they talk bad? When will the Holy Ghost
THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION 237
give you courage ? Who will give you courage to
turn away from bad pictures ? Who will give you
courage to go away from bad company?
Who will make you strong enough to go to
church when the weather is very bad ? Who will
make you strong enough to go to Mass when the
church is far away ? Who will make you strong
enough to say your prayers when you are very
tired? Who will make you strong enough to
forgive those who are unkind to you ? v Who will
help you to love all the people in the world?
What person of the Blessed Trinity will come
to you in Confirmation ? What will the Holy
Ghost bring for your soul ? What Sacrament will
make you strong in faith ? Who will live in your
soul after you are confirmed? What Sacrament
will give you more of God's grace ?
Why do you love your holy Faith more than any-
thing else? Why are you proud of your holy
Faith? Who first taught our holy Faith? Why
are you happy to believe all that the Catholic
Church teaches ? Who sent the Catholic Church
to teach us ?
Who were the first priests of the Catholic
Church ? Who made the Apostles priests ? Who
said Mass after our Lord went up to heaven ?
Who baptized the people then? Who heard
238 RELIGION
confessions and forgave sins then ? Who gave the
people Holy Communion then? Who gave the
last Sacrament to people when they were dying ?
Who were the first bishops? Who made the
Apostles bishops ? Who was the first Pope ?
Where was St. Peter bishop ? Where does the
Pope live now ? Who gave people the Sacrament
of Confirmation after our Lord went up to heaven ?
Yes, the Apostles gave people the Sacrament of
Confirmation. They were bishops. You know
the bishop gives Confirmation.
Do you know the names of the Apostles ? They
were St. Peter, St. Andrew, St. James (major),
St. John, St. Philip, St. Bartholomew, St. Thomas,
St. Matthew, St. James (minor), St. Thaddeus, St.
Simon, and Judas.
What Sacraments did St. Peter give to the
people? What Sacraments did St. Andrew, and
St. James, and St. John give ? What Sacraments
did St. Philip and St. Bartholomew give ? What
Sacraments did St. Thomas, and St. Matthew,
and St. James give? What Sacraments did St.
Thaddeus and St. Simon give ?
Do you know why Judas never gave Con-
firmation? Judas committed a terrible sin. He
sold our Lord for thirty pieces of silver. Then he
left our Lord and hanged himself. After our
THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION 239
Lord died the Apostles chose St. Matthias in the
place of Judas.
Who will give you the Sacrament of Confirma-
tion? Who were the first bishops of the Catholic
Church? Who gives Confirmation now just as
the Apostles did ?
Do you know how the bishop gives Confirma-
tion? He makes the sign of the cross on your
forehead with holy oil. At the same time he
says : "I sign thee with the sign of the cross and
I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost."
What will your sponsor do when you are con-
firmed? Who will put his (or her) hand on your
shoulder when you are being confirmed ? Who will
be a good friend to help you serve God after Confir-
mation ? Why will you take the name of a saint at
Confirmation? Who will be your second patron
saint? When will your patron saint help you to
be strong in faith ? When did you get your first
patron saint? Whose name did you take in
Baptism ? Why will you pray often to your saint ?
You see, children, how much God has blessed
you. He gave you the Sacraments so that you
can gain His grace. He gave you the Sacrament
of Confirmation to bring the Holy Ghost into
240 RELIGION
your soul and make you strong in faith. Thank
God for all that He has done for you.
Test Questions: 1. What does the Sacrament of Con-
firmation give us? 2. Who comes to us in the Sacrament
of Confirmation? 3. What does Confirmation do for us?
4. Who gives us the Sacrament of Confirmation?
THIRTY-FOURTH LESSON
The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
The Holy Eucharist is called the Sacrament of love.
The Holy Eucharist is the Sacrament of our Lord's body
and blood.
Our Lord was the first to change bread and wine into
His body and blood.
Our Lord changed bread and wine into His body and
blood at the Last Supper.
Children, to-day we are going to talk about
a great Sacrament. We are going to talk about the
Holy Eucharist. Who brought us God's grace
from heaven? Why do we need God's grace?
What is a new life for our soul? What makes
your soul holy and pleasing to God? What
makes you friends of God? What do the Sacra-
ments give us? When did you first receive
God's grace? What will Confirmation give you?
You see, children, how our Lord loves us. He
wants us all to have the grace He brought from
heaven. That is why He gave us the seven
Sacraments.
B 241
242 RELIGION
Do you know that our Lord gives us Himself
in one of the Sacraments ? Yes, our Lord gives us
Himself in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
The Holy Eucharist is called the Sacrament of
love. In what Sacrament does our Lord give us
Himself ? Which Sacrament is called the Sacra-
ment of love ?
What is a new life for our soul ? When did you
get this new life for your soul? What did the
Sacrament of Baptism give you ?
Which Sacrament will make this new life strong
in your soul ? What will Confirmation do for you ?
Which Sacrament do you think will make your
soul grow in this new life? It is the Sacrament
of the Holy Eucharist. You know the Holy
Eucharist feeds the soul. It makes the soul grow
in God's grace.
What do you have to do to make your body
grow? Why do you have to eat and drink?
What Sacrament makes your soul grow in God's
grace? Who gives Himself to you in the Holy
Eucharist? Which Sacrament feeds your soul?
Whose grace does the Holy Eucharist give us ? Do
you know how our Lord gives us Himself in the
Holy Eucharist? He changes bread and wine
into His body and blood; then He gives us
His body and blood to be the food and drink of
SACRAMENT OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST 243
our soul. That is how the Holy Eucharist feeds
our soul. The Holy Eucharist is the Sacrament
of our Lord's body and blood.
What did our Lord give us to be the food and
drink of our soul? Now, if some one asked you
how the Holy Eucharist makes our soul grow in
God's grace, what would you say? What does
our Lord give us in the Holy Eucharist ? Where
does He give us His body and blood? What
feeds our soul in the Holy Eucharist ? When do
our Lord's body and blood feed our soul ?
Who gave us the Holy Eucharist ? What grace
does the Holy Eucharist give us ? What does the
Holy Eucharist do for our soul? Which Sacra-
ment feeds our soul? What are the food and
drink of our soul in the Holy Eucharist ? Why is
the Holy Eucharist the Sacrament of our Lord's
body and blood? Which Sacrament gives us our
Lord's body and blood ?
How did our Lord give us His body and blood
in the Holy Eucharist? What did our Lord
change bread and wine into?
Just think how wonderful that is, children !
Our Lord changed bread and wine into His body
and blood. Then He gave the Apostles and all
the priests power to change bread and wine into
His body and blood.
244 RELIGION
Now, if some one asked you how our Lord gave
us His body and blood in the Holy Eucharist, what
would you say ? What did our Lord change into
His body and blood? How could our Lord do
that? Who is our Lord? What person of the
Blessed Trinity is our Lord? How long has our
Lord been God ? How long will our Lord be God ?
What does the Holy Eucharist do for our soul?
What Sacrament makes our soul grow in God's
grace? How does the Holy Eucharist feed our
soul ? What Sacrament gives us our Lord's body
and blood? When do we receive our Lord's
body and blood ? What do we receive when we
receive the Holy Eucharist? In what Sacrament
does our Lord give us Himself? Why does our
Lord give us Himself? Why does our Lord love
us so much? Whose children are we?
Do you know when our Lord gave us the Holy
Eucharist? It was at the Last Supper, the night
before He died. He changed bread and wine
into His body and blood at the Last Supper.
That is when He gave us the Holy Eucharist.
Now, if some one asked you when did our Lord
give us the Holy Eucharist, what would you say ?
When did our Lord change bread and wine into
His body and blood? What does our Lord give
us in the Holy Eucharist?
SACRAMENT OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST 245
Why does the Lord give us His body and blood
in the Holy Eucharist? What feeds our soul in
the Holy Eucharist? Which Sacrament makes
our soul grow in God's grace ?
How did our Lord give us His body and blood
in the Holy Eucharist? Why was it easy for our
Lord to change bread an<d wine into His body and
blood? What can our Lord do? Why do you
think our Lord gave us Himself in the Holy Eu-
charist ? How did our Lord show His love for us
in the Holy Eucharist ?
How often does the Holy Eucharist give us
G'od's grace? What does it give us every time
we receive it? Why does the Holy Eucharist
make our soul more holy? Why does the Holy
Eucharist make our soul more beautiful? Why
does the Holy Eucharist make our soul more pleas-
ing to God ?
Do you know what our Lord said when He
changed bread and wine into His body and blood ?
He took bread in His hands and said: "This
is my body." Then He took wine, and said :
"This is my blood."
The Apostles were with our Lord at the Last
Supper. They knew that our Lord is really
God. So they knew that it was true when
our Lord said, "This is my body." And they
246 RELIGION
knew that it was true when he said, "This is
my blood."
Who were with our Lord at the Last Supper?
What did our Lord say when He took the bread
in His hands? How do you know that it was
true ? What happened when our Lord said ? —
"This is my body" and "This is my blood."
When were the bread and wine changed into our
Lord's body and blood ? Why was it easy for
our Lord to change bread and wine into His body
and blood ? What can our Lord do ?
What power did our Lord give to the Apostles
after He changed bread and wine into His body
and blood ? Where does the priest get the power
to change bread and wine into our Lord's body
and blood ? What do our Lord's body and blood
look like in the Holy Eucharist? What do our
Lord's body and blood taste like in the Holy
Eucharist ?
How do we know, then, that what we see in the
Holy Eucharist is our Lord's body and blood ?
Who told us ? Why do we believe that our Lord's
body and blood are really in the Holy Eucharist ?
Why are we sure that whatever our Lord tells us
is true ?
What Church teaches us that our Lord's body
and blood are really in the Holy Eucharist ? Who
SACRAMENT OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST 247
sent the Catholic Church to teach us ? Why are
we sure that the Catholic Church always teaches
the truth ?
What do you believe about the Holy Eucharist ?
Why do you believe that our Lord's body and
blood are really there? But when our Lord's
body and blood look like bread and wine, how
do you know that our Lord's body and blood are
there? What Church teaches you that? Who
first taught what the Catholic Church teaches?
What Church teaches all that our Lord and the
Apostles taught ?
Why do many people not believe that our Lord's
body and blood are in the Holy Eucharist ? What
Church do they refuse to believe? Why should
they believe what the Catholic Church teaches ?
Who sent the Catholic Church to teach us ? What
does the Catholic Church teach? Who keeps the
truth in the Catholic Church ?
The Bible also tells us many things about the
Holy Eucharist. It tells us how our Lord told the
people once that He was going to give us the Holy
Eucharist. But those people were too proud to
believe our Lord. They said our Lord could not
give us His body and blood to be the food and
drink of our soul. And so they all left our Lord.
But the Apostles stayed with our Lord. They
248 RELIGION
knew that He is God and that whatever He says
is true.
Then the Bible tells us about the Last Supper.
It tells us how our Lord took bread in His hands
and said, "This is my body." It tells us that our
Lord took the wine and said, "This is my blood."
Then it tells us what our Lord said to the Apostles
when He gave them power to change bread and
wine into His body and blood. He said, " Do this
in remembrance of Me."
Now, where can we read about the Holy
Eucharist? What did the people do when our
Lord told them He was going to give us the Holy
Eucharist? What did the Apostles do? Why
did the Apostles believe our Lord ?
What does the Bible tell us about the Last
Supper? What did our Lord say when He took
the bread in His hands ? What did He say when
He took the wine? What power did He give the
Apostles when He said ? — " Do this in remembrance
of Me."
How do we know that what is in the Bible is
true? Who wrote the Bible? How did God
write the Bible? What Church tells us what the
words of the Bible mean?
Now, if some one asked you what the Holy
Eucharist does for your soul, what would you
SACRAMENT OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST 249
say? How does the Holy Eucharist feed your
soul? How do our Lord's body and blood come
into the Holy Eucharist? When did our Lord
change bread and wine into His body and blood?
Who changes bread and wine into our Lord's
body and blood now? Who gave the priest
power to change bread and wine into our Lord's
body and blood ?
Thank God every day of your lives, children,
because He gave us the Holy Eucharist. When
you make your first Holy Communion, you will
receive our Lord's body and blood. You will
receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
Test Questions : 1. What is the Holy Eucharist called ?
2. Which is the Sacrament of our Lord's body and blood?
3. Who was the first to change bread and wine into our
Lord's body and blood? 4. When did our Lord change
bread and wine into His body and blood?
THIRTY-FIFTH LESSON
The Mass
The priest changes bread and wine into our Lord's
body and blood at Mass.
The Apostles were the first priests to say Mass.
We are bound to go to Mass on Sundays and Holy Days.
Good people go to Mass as often as they can.
Tell me again about the Sacraments, children.
Who gave us the Sacraments? What do the
Sacraments give us? What does God's grace
do for our soul? When did you first receive
God's grace ?
Why do we all need Baptism? What does
Baptism take away from our soul? When were
you born again? What is a new life for your
soul? When did you become children of God?
When will you receive the Holy Ghost? What
Sacraments make us strong in faith ?
When did our Lord give us the Holy Eucharist ?
What did our Lord do at the Last Supper ?v When
do we receive our Lord's body and blood? What
are the food and drink of our soul ?
250
THE MASS 251
Who changed bread and wine into our Lord's
body and blood after our Lord went up to heaven ?
Who changes bread and wine into our Lord's
body and blood now? When does the 'priest
change bread and wine into our Lord's body and
blood? What does the priest change into our
Lord's body and blood when he says Mass ? Who
gave the priest power to change bread and wine
into our Lord's body and blood ?
What did our Lord change at the Last Supper ?
Who were the first priests of the Catholic Church ?
Who said Mass for the people at first ? Who says
Mass for you ?
If you had lived when the Apostles lived, who
would have said Mass for you? What does the
priest do when he says Mass? Who gave the
priest power to change bread and wine into our
Lord's body and blood ?
What did our Lord say when He changed bread
and wine into His body and blood? What did
He say when He took the bread into His hands?
What did He say when he took the wine ? What
happened when our Lord said? — "This is my
body" and "This is my blood."
The priest says the same words our Lord said
when he says Mass. You know the priest uses
our Lord's power.
252 RELIGION
What does the priest say when he takes bread
into his hands ? What does he say when he takes
the wine into his hands? What happens when
the priest says ? — "This is my body" and "This
is my blood."
In what Sacrament does our Lord give us Him-
self ? What does our Lord look like in the Holy
Eucharist? How does our Lord come into the
Holy Eucharist? When does the priest change
bread and wine into our Lord's body and blood ?
Who was the first ever to change bread and
wine into our Lord's body and blood ? Why was
it easy for our Lord to change bread and wine
into His body and blood? What person of the
Blessed Trinity is our Lord ? What can our Lord
do?
Who were the first priests that ever said Mass ?
How could the Apostles change bread and wine
into our Lord's body and blood ? How could our
Lord give them that power ? What can our Lord
do?
Who was the first Pope ever to say Mass ? Who
gave St. Peter power to change bread and wine
into our Lord's body and blood ? How many
Popes said Mass after that ? How often do all the
bishops and priests of the world say Mass ? When
did our Lord die for our sins?
THE MASS 253
To whom did our Lord offer Himself when He
died on the cross? When did our Lord offer
Himself to God the Father first ? Where does our
Lord offer Himself now? To whom does our
Lord offer Himself in the Mass ? What do our
Lord's body and blood look like in the Mass ?
Yes, it is just the same. Our Lord offered
Himself to God the Father when He died on the
cross. Now He does the same thing again every
time the priest says Mass. He offers Himself to
God the Father. So you see when you are at
Mass it is just like being beside our Lord's cross.
WTho stayed beside our Lord's cross until He
died? Who stayed with our Lord's blessed
mother? Who gave the Blessed Virgin to St.
John's care? What is like being beside our
Lord's cross?
How did our Lord offer Himself on the cross
to God the Father? What did our Lord look
like on the cross ? How does our Lord offer
Himself in the Mass to God the Father? Under
what form does He offer Himself in the Mass ?
How long has our Lord been God? Which
person of the Blessed Trinity was once a little
baby in Bethlehem ? Which person of the Blessed
Trinity died on the cross? Which person of the
Blessed Trinity offers Himself in the Mass?
254 RELIGION
When does the priest lift up our Lord's body
and blood for the people to adore at Mass ? What
does he do just after he changes bread and wine
into our Lord's body and blood? What happens
at the Consecration? What do our Lord's body
and blood look like in the Mass ?
Yes, in the Mass our Lord's body and blood look
like bread and wine. You know our Lord didn't
change the looks of bread and wine. He wanted
His body and blood to look like bread and wine.
He wanted His body and blood to taste like bread
and wine, too. That is why our Lord gave us His
body and blood under the form of bread and wine.
Now, if some one asked you what the priest
does at Mass, what would you say ? If he asked
you how the priest can change bread and wine
into our Lord's body and blood, what would you
say? Whom does our Lord offer in the Mass to
God the Father? Where did our Lord offer
Himself in another manner? How did He offer
Himself on the cross ?
What is the Third Commandment ? Where do
you go on Sundays and Holy Days ? Whose house
is the church ? When must we always go to Mass ?
Who commands us to go to Mass on Sundays and
Holy Days? What kind of sin would it be to
neglect Mass on a Sunday or Holy Day ?
THE MASS 255
What Church teaches us that we must go to
Mass ? Who sent the Catholic Church to teach
us? Whom do we obey when we go to Mass
on a Sunday or Holy Day ? When will God forgive
anybody that neglects Mass on a Sunday or
Holy Day? For what must he be sorry? What
must he tell in Confession? What must he
promise ?
How many Holy Days are there ? What is the
Holy Day called on which our Lord was born?
What are we bound to do on Christmas ? When
is the Feast of the Circumcision? Why must we
go to Mass on New Year's Day ?
On what day did our Lord go up to heaven?
What are we bound to do on the Feast of the
Ascension ? When did our Lord take His blessed
mother to heaven? What must we do on the
Feast of the Assumption?
When is the Feast of All Saints? When is the
Feast of the Immaculate Conception? What
must we do on Holy Days ? Why do you like to
go to Mass on Sundays and Holy Days ? Whom
do you obey when you go to Mass on Sundays and
Holy Days ? Who will bless you every time you
go to Mass ?
Whom did our Lord offer on the cross to God
the Father? Whom does our Lord offer in the
256 RELIGION
Mass to God the Father? What did our Lord
do at the Last Supper ? Who were with our Lord
at the Last Supper ?
What power did our Lord give to the Apostles
then? Who have that power now? When does
the priest change bread and wine into our Lord's
body and blood? What Sacrament feeds our
soul ? What feeds our soul in the Holy Eucharist ?
How do our Lord's body and blood come into the
Holy Eucharist ?
Why do you keep so quiet at Mass? Why do
you pray all during Mass? Whom do you adore
during Mass ? Why does the priest lift up our
Lord's body and blood at the Consecration of the
Mass? When does he lift up our Lord so that
we can adore Him ?
Why do you kneel so much during Mass?
Whom are you adoring? Why is the Mass so
holy ? Who is on the altar ? Under what form
is our Lord on the altar? What does our Lord
on the altar look like?
How often does the priest say Mass? Who
says Mass every day? Why do you think it is
good to go to Mass often? Who blesses you
every time you go to Mass ?
How often would you like to go to Mass ? Why
would you like to go to Mass every day ? What
THE MASS 257
does the priest offer at Mass ? When does he
offer our Lord's body and blood? To whom
does he offer our Lord's body and blood? Who
offers our Lord's body and blood to God the
Father? In whose name does the priest offer
our Lord's body and blood? Who offers our
Lord's body and blood in our Lord's name?
What does the priest say when he takes the
bread into his hands ? When does he say ? —
"This is my body." For whom is he saying
that? What does the priest say when he takes
the wine? When does he say? — "This is my
blood." What happens when the priest says? —
"This is my body" and "This is my blood."
What did our Lord say when He took the bread
and wine at the Last Supper? What happened
when our Lord said? — "This is my body" and
"This is my blood." When did our Lord offer
Himself so that you could really see His body and
blood ? How did He offer Himself on the cross ?
When does our Lord offer Himself in another
manner? Under what form does our Lord offer
Himself in the Mass? What is like being beside
our Lord's cross? How often do you like to go
to Mass? What does our Lord do for you every
time you go to Mass ?
Thank God, children, because He gave you the
258 RELIGION
holy Mass. God loves you because you go to
Mass often. He will bless you more and more
every time you go to Mass.
Test Questions : 1. When does the priest change bread
and wine into our Lord's body and blood? 2. Who were
the first priests to say Mass ? 3. When are we bound to
go to Mass? 4. How often do good people go to Mass?
THIRTY-SIXTH LESSON
The Blessed Sacrament
The Holy Eucharist is kept in the tabernacle.
Our Lord is really present in the Holy Eucharist.
Our Lord lives in the Blessed Sacrament because He
loves us.
We adore our divine Lord in the Holy Eucharist.
The last time you were here, children, you told
me many fine things about the Mass. We might
talk about the Sacraments again.
What do the Sacraments give us? How many
Sacraments give us God's grace? When did you
first receive God's grace ? What Sacrament feeds
your soul ? What is the food of your soul in the
Holy Eucharist? How do our Lord's body and
blood come into the Holy Eucharist?
Who was the first ever to change bread and wine
into our Lord's body and blood? When did our
Lord change bread and wine into His body and
blood ? Who said Mass just after our Lord went
up to heaven? What does the priest do when
He says Mass? When does the priest change
bread and wine into our Lord's body and blood ?
259
260 RELIGION
Where does the priest stand when he says Mass ?
Where is the tabernacle? It is just before the
priest when he is saying Mass. There is a little
door in it. Sometimes you can see the priest
open that little door.
Do you know where the Holy Eucharist is kept ?
What is kept in the tabernacle? Yes, the Holy
Eucharist is kept in the tabernacle. There is a
gold or silver cup with a top on it. This cup is
called the ciborium. In this the Holy Eucharist
is kept.
Do you know what the Holy Eucharist in the
tabernacle looks like? Now, if some one asked
you where the Holy Eucharist is kept, what would
you say? What does the Holy Eucharist look
like when the priest is giving Holy Communion?
You know the Holy Eucharist in the tabernacle
has the form of little round pieces of bread.
These are called the sacred hosts.
Who gave us the Holy Eucharist? When did
our Lord give us the Holy Eucharist ? What did
our Lord do at the Last Supper? Where does
our Lord give us Himself? Who comes to us in
the Holy Eucharist?
Under what form does our Lord come in the
Holy Eucharist ? When does our Lord come to us
under the form of bread and wine? Who is
THE BLESSED SACRAMENT 261
really and truly in the Holy Eucharist? Why is
our Lord able to come to us in the Holy Eucharist ?
Who is our Lord? What can our Lord do?
Who is the creator of heaven and earth ? Who is
really in the tabernacle like a little piece of bread ?
What does our Lord in the Holy Eucharist know ?
Which person of the Blessed Trinity is in the
Holy Eucharist? Which person of the Blessed
Trinity became man ? In what part of the church
is our Lord's body kept ? What is the little white
particle that the priest lifts up at the Consecration
of the Mass ? Who is really present in that little
particle ?
You know the Holy Eucharist is called the
Blessed Sacrament. That is why we say the
Blessed Sacrament is in the tabernacle. The
Blessed Sacrament is the Holy Eucharist.
Who is in the Blessed Sacrament? What does
our Lord look like in the Blessed Sacrament?
When does our Lord take the form of bread in
the Blessed Sacrament? Who changes bread
and wine into our Lord's body and blood? How
much of our Lord is present under the form of
bread alone? Why does our Lord really live in
the Blessed Sacrament ? Why does our Lord
wish to be with us all the time ?
Why did the Apostles love our Lord very much ?
262 RELIGION
How long did they go with Him? Why do you
think the Apostles wanted our Lord to stay with
them ? How does our Lord stay with you ?
Our Lord stays with you in the Blessed Sacra-
ment. Our Lord really and truly lives in the
tabernacle. We can see Him, too. But He does
not look as He did when He hung on the cross. He
looks like a little piece of bread.
Where is our Lord on the altar? Why do you
think our Lord wants to stay with us all the time ?
Day and night he is in the tabernacle. He is
under the little form of bread. But He is God.
He is the Creator of heaven and earth. He likes
to see us coming to visit Him often.
Now, could you tell anybody why our Lord lives
in the Holy Eucharist? Where is the Blessed
Sacrament kept in the church? Who really and
truly lives in the Blessed Sacrament? What
person of the Blessed Trinity is really and truly
present in the Blessed Sacrament ?
The little red light that is always burning in the
church shows that the Blessed Sacrament is there.
It is called the sanctuary lamp. It is kept
burning in honor of our Lord in the Blessed
Sacrament.
WThat does that little red light show ? How do
you know when the Blessed Sacrament is in a
THE BLESSED SACRAMENT 263
church? What is that red light called? In
whose honor is it kept burning?
The part around the altar is called the sanc-
tuary. That is because it is the holiest part of
the church. Why is that the holiest part of
the church? Where is the Blessed Sacrament
kept?
Why do you genuflect when you enter the
church? Whom do you adore when you gen-
uflect? Where is our Lord when you adore
Him?
Teach the little ones to genuflect properly. A little
patience will soon teach them to do it well. Show
them how to put the left foot forward and then to
lower the body until the right knee touches the
floor.
Why do you adore our Lord in the Blessed
Sacrament? Who is the only One we should
adore? What Commandment tells us to adore
God alone ? Whom does the First Commandment
tell us to adore ?
Under what form is our Lord in the tabernacle ?
When are bread and wine changed into our Lord's
body and blood? Why do you genuflect every
time you pass before the tabernacle? Whom do
you adore then ? How is our Lord present there ?
Who is our Lord ?
264 RELIGION
Why do you genuflect when you are leaving the
church ? Whom are you adoring when you genu-
flect? Whom do you adore when you kneel in
the church ? Why do you adore our Lord in the
Blessed Sacrament? Whom should we adore?
Which person of the Blessed Trinity lives in the
Blessed Sacrament? Why does God the Son live
in the Blessed Sacrament ? How do you talk with
God the Son in the tabernacle ? When does God
the Son listen to you from the tabernacle ? Why
do you like to visit our Lord in the Blessed Sacra-
ment? How often will our Lord bless you from
the tabernacle?
Why do you like to go to Benediction of the
Blessed Sacrament? Whom do you see on the
altar? What does our Lord look like during
Benediction ? When does our Lord take the form
of bread? Who blesses you at Benediction of
the Blessed Sacrament? Who holds up our Lord
to bless you ?
Do you know what you call the gold or silver
stand that holds our Lord at Benediction? It is
called the monstrance. The monstrance is blessed
to hold our Lord at Benediction of the Blessed
Sacrament.
Why can our Lord in the Holy Eucharist live
in all the churches at the same time? Where
THE BLESSED SACRAMENT 265
is God? Which person of the Blessed Trinity
is in the Blessed Sacrament?
On what day did our Lord give us the Holy
Eucharist? When is Holy Thursday? Why is
it called Holy Thursday ? What did our Lord
give us on that day ? Why is the Blessed Sacra-
ment exposed all day Holy Thursday? Why do
good people like to visit the church on Holy
Thursday ? Why do we have a procession of the
Blessed Sacrament on Holy Thursday?
The feast of our Lord's body and blood is called
the feast of Corpus Christi. Corpus Christi
means Christ's body. It comes on Thursday.
But we generally keep the feast on the Sunday
after. Then we have a procession of the Blessed
Sacrament.
Now what is the feast of our Lord's body and
blood called? What does Corpus Christi mean?
Why do we have Forty Hours' Devotions ? When
do we honor the Blessed Sacrament more than
ever? Why does everybody go to Holy Com-
munion during Forty Hours' Devotion? For
whom do they show their love when they go to
Holy Communion ? Why do good people like to
visit the church during Forty Hours' Devotions ?
When is the Blessed Sacrament exposed ? WTiom
do we adore then ?
266 RELIGION
Why do many good people visit the church
every day? Whom do they visit when they go
to church ? Why does our Lord live in the
Blessed Sacrament? Why does our Lord want
us to visit Him there? What will our Lord do
for you every time you visit Him? How often
will He bless you?
What do you do when you enter the church ?
What do you do every time you pass before the
tabernacle? Why do you genuflect? Whom do
you adore ?
When the Blessed Sacrament is exposed you
genuflect on both knees. You genuflect on both
knees also if you pass before the altar after the
Consecration of the Mass.
Now, when do you genuflect on both knees?
How do you genuflect if you pass before the altar
after the Consecration of the Mass? To whom
do you pray when you are in the church ? Where
is our Lord present in the church ?
Why do you think our Lord wants you to visit
Him often ? Why does He love you so much ?
Why do good people often go in for a little visit
when they are passing the church? Why do
many people go in the afternoon to pay a visit
to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament ? Why does
that please our Lord ?
THE BLESSED SACRAMENT 267
Just think how much God loves us ! God the
Son comes to live in the Blessed Sacrament so that
we can visit Him as often as we wish.
Test Questions : 1. Where is the Holy Eucharist kept?
2. Who is really present in the Holy Eucharist? 3. Why
does our Lord live in the Blessed Sacrament ? 4. Whom
do we adore in the Holy Eucharist?
THIRTY-SEVENTH LESSON
Holy Communion
We receive the body and blood of Christ in Holy Com-
munion.
We receive the body and blood of Christ under the form
of bread.
We must be free from sin when we receive Holy Com-
munion.
It is good to go to Holy Communion every day.
How wonderful it is, children, that our Lord
lives in the Blessed Sacrament. Just think, we
can receive our Lord under the form of bread.
Who changes bread and wine into our Lord's
body and blood? When does the priest change
bread and wine into our Lord's body and blood ?
When did our Lord give us the Holy Eucharist ?
What does the Holy Eucharist do for our soul?
What is the food of our soul in the Holy Eucharist ?
Who gave us our Lord's body and blood to be the
food of our soul ?
When do we receive the Holy Eucharist?
What do you receive when you go to Holy Com-
munion? What do we receive in the Holy
268
HOLY COMMUNION 269
Eucharist? When do we receive our Lord's
body and blood ?
When did our Lord change bread and wine into
His body and blood? Who were with our Lord
at the Last Supper? Who gave the Apostles
Holy Communion at the Last Supper? What
did the Apostles receive in Holy Communion ?
When did they receive our Lord's body and blood ?
Who gave the people Holy Communion just
after our Lord went up to heaven? To whom
did the Apostles give Holy Communion? Who
give the people Holy Communion now ?
When will you receive our Lord's body and
blood? What will you receive when you make
your first Holy Communion? What Sacrament
will you receive then? What Sacrament will
feed your soul? What is the food of your soul
in the Holy Eucharist? What will make you
grow in God's grace? What will the Holy Eu-
charist do for your soul ?
What is a new life for your soul? What will
make you grow in that new life? Who received
Holy Communion from our Lord ? Who gave the
people Holy Communion after that? Who were
the first priests of the Catholic Church ? Who
have always given Holy Communion to the people ?
Why does our Lord give us His body and blood ?
270 RELIGION
How does that show that He loves us? When
will you really have our Lord in you ? What will
our Lord do for you when He comes to you?
When will He give you more of God's grace ?
Who were the first ever to receive Holy Com-
munion? Who gave the Apostles Holy Com-
munion? How did our Lord give the Apostles
His body and blood ? What did our Lord change
into His body and blood ?
To whom did our Lord give power to change
bread and wine into our Lord's body and blood?
When does the priest change bread and wine into
our Lord's body and blood? Who gave the
priest power to change bread and wine into our
Lord's body and blood?
Where is the Blessed Sacrament kept? Under
what form is the Blessed Sacrament in the taber-
nacle? What is that which looks like bread in
the tabernacle? Under what form is our Lord
in Holy Communion? What do you receive in
Holy Communion? When do you receive our
Lord's body and blood ?
What do our Lord's body and blood look like
in Holy Communion ? What do our Lord's body
and blood taste like in Holy Communion? Why
can our Lord take any form He wishes ? What can
our Lord do ? Why can our Lord do all things ?
HOLY COMMUNION 271
What form did our Lord have in Bethlehem?
When did He have the form of a little baby?
What form did our Lord have on the cross ? How
long has our Lord been God? When does God
really come to you ?
Why could our Lord take the form of bread ?
What did our Lord make? Who made the
world? Who made all the people in the world?
When do we really and truly have our Lord in
us ? What will our Lord give you when He comes
to you? Why does our Lord come to us?
Why would you like to have taken the Infant
Jesus in your arms ? When will our Lord come
to you now? What will be the happiest day of
your life? Who will come to you on the day of
your first Holy Communion? Why will the day
of your first Holy Communion be the happiest
day of your life?
Why will you thank our Lord after Holy Com-
munion? When will you thank Him for coming
to you? What will you say to our Lord after
Holy Communion? How long do you think
you ought to stay to thank our Lord after Holy
Communion ? Why should you stay and pray at
least fifteen minutes after Holy Communion ?
Yes, children, that is fine. Our Lord will be
pleased if you stay at least fifteen minutes to pray
272 RELIGION
after Holy Communion. He will be pleased when
you thank Him for coming to you.
When will our Lord be really and truly in you ?
How long do you think our Lord stays in you
after Holy Communion? He stays in you about
fifteen minutes. That is why you stay to pray
at least fifteen minutes after Holy Communion.
Under what form will you receive our Lord's
body and blood when you make your first Holy
Communion? What will our Lord's body and
blood look like then ? What will our Lord's body
and blood taste like ?
What will the priest hold in his hand just before
he gives you Holy Communion? When will he
hold our Lord's body and blood before you?
What will our Lord's body and blood look like
then? Who will be really and truly in you after
Holy Communion ?
How long will our Lord stay in you after Holy
Communion ? Why do you think our Lord wants
to come to you in Holy Communion ? Why does
He love you so much? What will our Lord give
you when He comes to you?
What does God's grace do for your soul ?
What makes your soul holy ? What makes your
soul pleasing to God? When does God love
your soul very much? Why does He love your
HOLY COMMUNION 273
soul when you have divine grace? What makes
your soul beautiful ?
What is the only thing that can take God's
grace away from the soul ? What does mortal
sin take away from the soul ? How can anybody
get God's grace again after he falls into mortal
sin ? What must he do if he wants God to forgive
him? For what must he be sorry? What must
he promise? Why must he go to Confession,
too?
What kind of a soul do you think our Lord likes
to come into ? When is your soul holy and pure ?
What does God's grace do for your soul? What
makes your soul holy and pure? Why must
your soul be free from mortal sin when our Lord
comes to you ? Why do people often go to Con-
fession before Holy Communion?
It would be a very great sin if anybody went
to Holy Communion in mortal sin. It would be
one of the worst things in the world; for our
Lord wants to come into those souls alone that
are pure and free from sin.
Why do good people pray so much before Holy
Communion? How do they get ready to receive
our Lord? Why is our Lord pleased when you
pray before Holy Communion?
Why will you try to be very good before going
274 RELIGION
to Holy Communion? How will you prepare
to receive our Lord? Why will you try to be
neat and clean before you go to Holy Com-
munion? Who is coming to you then? Why
will you guard your eyes and pray all during
Mass before going to Holy Communion ?
Why will you not eat and drink anything from
the midnight before you go to Holy Communion ?
For whom do you show respect when you do that ?
What does it mean to fast before Holy Com-
munion ?
How long will the Blessed Sacrament be in you
after Holy Communion ? What will you do while
the Blessed Sacrament is in you? Why will you
pray all the time?
What should anybody do if he forgets and eats
or drinks something before Holy Communion?
Why should he wait and go another day? What
Church tells you to fast before Holy Communion ?
How will you hold your hands when you go to
Holy Communion? Why will you hold your
hands folded? Why will you genuflect when you
go to Holy Communion? Why will you not
genuflect when you are coming back from Holy
Communion? Where will you have the Blessed
Sacrament then? How will you keep your eyes
when you go to Holy Communion?
HOLY COMMUNION 275
Take great patience to teach the children how to
receive Holy Communion properly. Show them how
to hold their hands joined piously. Show them how
to kneel. Show them how to hold their heads up.
Show them how to open their mouths. Show them
how to hold their tongue flat and a little extended.
Show them how to hold the card or Communion
cloth.
What will you do all during Mass before Holy
Communion ? Why will you pray so well ? What
will you be getting ready for ? What will you do
after Holy Communion? Why will you thank
our Lord? How long will you stay to pray?
What Sacrament feeds our soul? What is the
food of our soul in the Holy Eucharist? When
do our Lord's body and blood feed your soul?
Why do you think many good people go so often
to Holy Communion? What does Holy Com-
munion do for their soul? What makes your
soul grow in God's grace ? When do we get more
of God's grace?
How often is our Lord willing to come to people
who are free from sin ? How often can you go to
Holy Communion ? Why is it good to go to Holy
Communion every day ? When do people get
very much of God's grace? Why does our Lord
wish people to go to Holy Communion every day ?
276 RELIGION
Of course, you know when people go to Holy
Communion every day they don't have to go to
Confession every day. They go to Confession
about once a week. But if anybody falls into
mortal sin he must go to Confession before he can
go to Holy Communion.
Now, if some one asked you what you receive
when you go to Holy Communion, what would
you say? Under what form do you receive our
Lord's body and blood in Holy Communion?
How long must you fast before going to Holy
Communion? What must you not do after the
midnight before? What does anybody do if
he forgets and eats or drinks something before
Holy Communion?
From what must you be free when you go to
Holy Communion ? How must your soul be
when our Lord comes to you ? What makes your
soul holy and pure? What do you do all during
Mass before Holy Communion ?
What do you do after Holy Communion ? How
long will the Blessed Sacrament be in you after
Holy Communion? How often can you go to
Holy Communion if you wish? Who is really
and truly in you when you go to Holy Communion ?
Why will our Lord come to you in Holy Commun-
ion ? What will be the happiest day of your life ?
HOLY COMMUNION 277
Yes, children, the day of your first Holy Com-
munion will be the happiest day of your life. On
that day our Lord will come to you. Our Lord
will be really and truly in you. He will love you
more than ever then. Thank God every day of
your life for giving you the Holy Eucharist. It is
truly the Sacrament of God's love.
Test Questions : 1 . When do we receive the body and
blood of Christ? 2. Under what form do we receive the
body and blood of Christ? 3. From what must we be free
when we receive Holy Communion? 4. How often is it
good to go to Holy Communion?
THIRTY-EIGHTH LESSON
The Sacrament of Penance
The Sacrament of Penance takes away our sins.
The priest takes away our sins in the Sacrament of
Penance.
We must tell our sins to the priest in Confession.
We must be sorry for our sins.
You look bright and cheerful to-day, children.
We are going to talk about another great Sacra-
ment to-day.
What kind of people are happy ? What do you
have to do to be good ? How do you know what
God wants you to do? Who sent the Catholic
Church to teach you ?
When do we receive God's grace? Why do we
need God's grace? What does God's grace do
for your soul? What makes your soul holy and
pleasing to God? What is a new life for your
soul?
When did you first get this new life for your
soul? What did Baptism give you? When did
you become children of God ? What makes you
friends of God ? What makes God love your soul ?
278
THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE 279
What is the only thing that can take away
God's grace from the soul? What does mortal
sin take away from the soul? Where do people
go if they die in mortal sin? What sin makes
the soul ugly? What did mortal sin do to the
bad angels ? What did it turn them into ? Where
did it send them ?
Who gave us the seven Sacraments? What
do the Sacraments give us? What Sacrament
took away original sin from your soul? What
do people lose that fall into sin after they have
been baptized? What takes God's grace away
from the soul? What will the Sacrament of
Penance take away from the soul?
Just see how much God loves us ! He gave us
the Sacrament of Baptism to take away original
sin. Then He gave us the Sacrament of Penance ;
so if anybody falls into sin, he can have his sins
taken away again.
What does mortal sin take away from the soul ?
What Sacrament gives back God's grace to the
soul? What does the Sacrament of Penance
give back to the soul? When do people lose
God's grace? How can they get God's grace
back again ? What does the Sacrament of Penance
do for them ?
How many sins do you think the Sacrament
280 RELIGION
of Penance can take away ? What Sacrament
will take away mortal sins from the soul? What
Sacrament will take away venial sins, too ?
Who gave us the Sacrament of Penance ? Why
does our Lord want to take away our sins ? Why
does our Lord want us to go to heaven? Why
does He wish to have us with Him in heaven ?
Who were the first priests of the Catholic
Church ? Who made the Apostles priests ? Who
took original sin away from your soul? When
did the priest take original sin away from your
soul? Who baptized the people just after our
Lord went up to heaven?
Who will give you Holy Communion ? Who
says Mass? Who sent the priest to take care of
your soul ? Who will give you the Sacrament
of Penance? What does the priest take away
from our soul when he gives us the Sacrament of
Penance? What sins will he take away from our
soul?
Who gave the people the Sacrament of Penance
just after our Lord went up to heaven? What
did the Apostles take from their souls when they
gave them the Sacrament of Penance? Who
gave the Apostles power to forgive sins ?
Who made the Apostles priests ? Who gives
the priest power to forgive sins? When does
THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE 281
the priest forgive sins ? What does he do for our
soul when he gives us the Sacrament of Penance ?
Why could our Lord forgive sins ? Which person
of the Blessed Trinity is our Lord ?
Why can our Lord give the priest power to for-
give sins? Who is our Lord? Why does our
Lord want to take away our sins? To whom
does our Lord give the power to forgive sins?
Who is the only one that can say Mass ? Who can
give you Holy Communion ?
What did the priest say when he baptized you ?
When the priest gives you the Sacrament of
Penance he says: "I forgive thee thy sins in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost."
In whose name did the priest baptize you?
What sin did the priest take away from you when
he baptized you? What sins does he take away
when he baptizes grown people?
What sins does the priest take away when he
gives us the Sacrament of Penance? What Sac-
rament takes away all our sins ? In whose name
does the priest forgive sins in the Sacrament of
Penance ? When does he forgive sins in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost? Who gave the priest power to forgive
sins?
282 RELIGION
Who sent the priest to forgive your sins ? Who
were the first priests that our Lord sent? How
does the priest know our sins? When do we tell
our sins to the priest? What do we tell when we
go to Confession ?
How many sins do we have to tell the priest in
Confession ? When do we have to tell the priest
all our sins? Who wants us to tell our sins to
the priest? What kind of a sin would it be to
keep back a mortal sin in Confession? What
would anybody have to do if he kept back a mortal
sin in Confession ? Why would he have to go to
Confession again? Why would he have to tell
all his sins over again? Why would he have to
tell that he lied in Confession, too ?
Why will you always be glad to tell all your sins
in Confession? When do we make a good Con-
fession? When does any one make a bad Con-
fession ? What kind of a sin would it be to keep
back a mortal sin in Confession?
Do you know why the priest always keeps our
sins secret? It is because God wants him to.
The priest would be willing to die to keep our sins
secret. That is why we are always ready to tell
our sins to the priest in Confession.
Who gave us the Sacrament of Penance ? When
will the priest forgive your sins? Who gives the
THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE 283
priest power to forgive sins ? How does the priest
know our sins? What sins must we tell in Con-
fession ?
When does anybody commit a mortal sin in
Confession? What kind of Confession does he
make if he keeps back a mortal sin in Confession ?
Why do we have to tell how many times we
committed each sin? What would anybody say
if he didn't say his morning prayers for a week ?
Why would he say ? — I missed my morning
prayers seven times.
What would anybody say if he didn't say his
evening prayers for three days ? Why would he
say ? — I missed my evening prayers three times.
What would anybody say if he cursed two times
yesterday and two times the day before? Why
would he say ? — I cursed four times.
What would anybody say if he swore once a
day for five days ? Would he say ? — I swore
five times. What would anybody say if he
neglected Mass last Sunday and the Sunday
before ? Why would he say ? — I missed Mass
on Sunday twice. What would he say if he missed
Mass on Christmas and New Year's ? Why would
he say ? — I missed Mass on two Holy Days.
What would anybody say if he didn't obey his
parents five times ? Why would he say ? — I dis-
284 RELIGION
obeyed my parents five times. What would any-
body say if he had talked back to his parents three
times ? Would he say ? — I talked back to my
parents three times.
What would anybody say if he had been fighting
four times ? Why would he say ? — I was fight-
ing four times. What would anybody say if he
had been quarreling ten times ? Why would he
say ? — I was quarreling ten times.
What would anybody say if he had been think-
ing about bad things two times? Why would he
say ? — I was thinking about bad things two times.
What would anybody say if he had said bad
words seven times? What would anybody say
if he had listened to bad talk six times ?
What would anybody say if he had looked at
bad things eight times? What would anybody
say if he had looked at bad pictures five times ?
What would anybody say if he had done bad things
once?
What would anybody say if he had stolen some-
thing ? Why would he have to tell what he took ?
If he had taken fifty cents what would he
say? What would he have to do if he stole
something? What would he have to give back?
What would he say if he stole somebody's book?
What would he have to do with the book ?
THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE 285
What would anybody have to say if he told
lies ten times ? What would he say if he told lies
about others three times? What would he have
to do if he told lies about others ? Why would he
have to go and say that he told lies about others ?
Why would he have to go and recall the lies ?
What would he have to do if he got angry with
others and wouldn't speak to them ? Why would
he have to go and make up with them? What
would anybody have to say if he wished for bad
things? What would anybody have to say if he
was jealous because others had better things than
he had ? What would anybody say if he laughed
and talked in church once?
What would anybody have to do if he forgot
to tell a mortal sin in Confession? Why would
he have to tell it the next time? Of course,
you know it is not a sin if anybody forgets to
tell a sin. But it is a very great mortal sin if
anybody keeps back a mortal sin in Confession.
What should you try to think about before
Confession? Why do you think you ought to
try to find out all your sins ? Yes, you kneel and
pray. You ask God the Holy Ghost to help you
find out all your sins. That means to examine
your conscience.
Now, what do you do before going to Confession ?
286 RELIGION
What do you try to find out ? To whom do you
pray? What does it mean to examine your
conscience? What does it mean to pray and try
to find out all your sins ?
When you are going to Confession, you go into
the confessional. You have your hands joined
nicely. There is a little step in there for you to
kneel on. You kneel there and wait until the
priest opens the slide, then you say : "Bless me,
father, for I have sinned."
Now, can you tell me what you do when you
go to Confession ? What do you do when you enter
the confessional ? How long do you wait ? What
do you say as soon as the priest opens the slide ?
In preparing the children for their first Confession,
it is well to take them to the confessional. Show
them the place to kneel; show them the slide; show
them how to turn their face when talking so that
the priest can hear them. It is well also to show
them how to modulate the voice when talking to the
priest.
When you have said: "Bless me, father, for
I have sinned" then you tell the priest how long
it is since your last Confession.
Now, if you had been to Confession the week
before, what would you say ? If you had been to
Confession two weeks before, what would you
THE SACRAMENT OF rENANCE 287
say ? If you had been to Confession one month
before, what would you say?
After that you say: "I said my penance and
went to Holy Communion." Of course, if anybody
forgets to say his penance, he must tell the priest.
After that you tell the priest all your sins. Be
sure to turn your face to the priest and speak so
that he can hear you. But be careful to speak
in a low voice. Say everything clearly so that
the priest can understand you.
When you have told the priest all the sins you
can call to mind, you say: "For these and all
the other sins that I cannot remember, I am
heartily sorry; and I ask penance and abso-
lution from you, father."
The children should be made familiar with this
form or another that the pastor may prefer.
When you have said that, you listen to what
the priest says. If he asks you questions, you try
to answer them clearly. Then the priest will
give you a penance to do. He may give you
some prayers to say. He may tell you to say
the Our Father and the Hail Mary five times.
He may tell you to say the Rosary. He may
tell you to say the Stations of the Cross. What-
ever he tells you to do, you will do it soon after
Confession.
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Now, what do you say when the priest opens the
slide ? What do you tell the priest after you have
said? — "Bless me, father, for I have sinned/*
After you have told the priest the time of your
last Confession, what do you tell him ? How do
you turn your face when you are talking to the
priest ? What sins do you tell the priest ? What
do you say when you have told all your sins?
What do you ask the priest to give you? When
will you say your penance ?
After the priest gives you your penance you say
the Act of Contrition. Say the Act of Con-
trition now. Teach the children well the Act of
Contrition. Select the Act of Contrition that the
pastor recommends.
What are you telling God when you say the Act
of Contrition? When do you tell God that you
are sorry for your sins? Why do you wish that
you had never committed any sins? What do
you wish when you are sorry for your sins ?
When do people disobey God? What did the
bad angels do? What did Adam and Eve do?
Why does God love you very much ? From whom
do people turn when they commit mortal sin?
Where does mortal sin send people? Why do
you hate mortal sin? What do you hate when
you are sorry for your sins? Why are you sorry
THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE 289
for all your sins? Whom does venial sin dis-
please ?
What does mortal sin take away from the soul ?
Where do people go if they die in mortal
sin ? How long will they suffer in hell ? What is
the worst thing in the world?
What Sacrament takes away our sins? When
you are really sorry for your sins, what do you
promise God? What will you try hard to keep
from after Confession ? For what do people have
to be sorry if they want their sins forgiven ? What
do they promise when they are sorry for their sins ?
Why did our Lord give us the Sacrament of
Penance? Who takes away our sins in the
Sacrament of Penance? Who gave the priest
power to forgive sins? How does the priest
know our sins ?
What sins do we have to tell the priest in
Confession? How must we feel about our sins
to have them taken away? What must we
promise ? Why do we say the Act of Contrition ?
What shows that we are sorry for our sins ? Why
are we sorry for our sins ? Whom do even venial
sins displease ?
Why do people go to Confession before Holy
Communion? From what must they be free
when our Lord comes? Why will you go to
290 RELIGION
Confession before Confirmation? Just see how
much God loves us ! He gives us the Sacrament
of Penance so that we can get to heaven. Thank
God every day because He gave us the Sacrament
of Penance. •
Test Questions: 1. What Sacrament takes away our
sins? 2. Who takes away our sins in the Sacrament of
Penance? 3. What must we tell the priest in Confession?
4. For what must we be sorry?
THIRTY-NINTH LESSON
The Sacraments of Extreme Unction, Holy
Orders, and Matrimony
Extreme Unction is the Sacrament for the dying.
The priest gives Extreme Unction.
Holy Orders is the Sacrament which makes men priests.
Matrimony is the Sacrament by which people are married.
You have talked about several Sacraments,
children. Shall we talk about the other Sacra-
ments to-day? But tell me first, who gave us
the seven Sacraments ? What do the Sacraments
give us? Why do we need God's grace? When
did you first receive God's grace? What did
Baptism take away from your soul? When
were you born again? What is a new life for
your soul? What Sacrament will make you
strong in faith? Who will confirm you? When
will you receive the Holy Ghost?
What Sacrament feeds our soul? What is the
food of our soul in the Holy Eucharist ? How do
our Lord's body and blood come into the Holy
Eucharist? What Sacrament makes us grow in
291
292 RELIGION
God's grace ? When does the priest change bread
and wine into our Lord's body and blood? Who
was the first ever to change bread and wine into
our Lord's body and blood ? Who gave the priest
power to change bread and wine into our Lord's
body and blood ?
What Sacrament takes away our sins? Who
forgives sins in the Sacrament of Penance ? Who
gave the priest power to forgive sins ?
You see, children, our Lord gave us Sacraments
for our whole life. He wants us to have more
and more of God's grace all our life. Tell me now
about some of the sick people you have seen.
What does God want you to do for the sick
people? Why does He want you to help them?
Why does He want you to visit them ? Who are
happy when they are dying? To whom do we
pray for a happy death? Who were with St.
Joseph when he died ?
Our Lord gave us the Sacrament of Extreme
Unction to make us strong when we are dying.
Extreme Unction gives us more of God's grace
so that we can be happy when we are dying.
Now, what is the Sacrament for the dying?
What does Extreme Unction do for sick
people? What does it give them? Of course,
you know people don't always die when they
EXTREME UNCTION 293
receive Extreme Unction. Sometimes Extreme
Unction makes them well again.
What Sacrament do people receive when they
are very sick? What Sacrament do people re-
ceive when they are badly hurt? What Sacra-
ment makes people happy when they are dying?
What does Extreme Unction give us? What
Sacrament sometimes makes sick people well ?
Now, if some one were very sick, whom would
you call to him ? Why would you call the priest ?
What Sacrament would the priest give the sick
person ?
Yes, that is right, children. When anybody is
very sick, call the priest. Call him in good time.
He will come and give Extreme Unction to the
sick person. Why do we all hope to have the
priest when we are dying? What Sacrament do
we wish to receive when we are dying?
When the priest gives Extreme Unction, he
anoints the sick person with holy oil. He anoints
his eyes, his ears, his nostrils, his mouth, his
hands, and his feet. While he is anointing him
he asks God to forgive the sick person his sins.
When the priest anoints the eyes, he asks God
to forgive the sick person all the sins he has
committed with his eyes. What kinds of things
does God want us to look at? When do people
294 RELIGION
commit sin with their eyes? What do they
commit when they look at bad things?
When the priest anoints the ears, he asks God
to forgive the sick person the sins he has com-
mitted by hearing. When do people sin by
hearing? What is it when they listen to bad
things ?
When the priest anoints the nostrils, he asks
God to forgive the sick person all his sins of smell.
That means the sin of thinking about bad things.
When the priest anoints the mouth, he asks God
to forgive the sick person the sins of taste and
talking. When do people sin by taste? What is
it when they eat too much ? When do they sin
by talking? Whom do they disobey when they
say bad things ?
When the priest anoints the feet, he asks God
to forgive the sins the sick person has committed
by walking. Whom do people disobey when they
go with bad company?
Now, could you tell anybody how the priest
gives Extreme Unction? What does he do with
holy oil ? What does he say when he anoints the
eyes? When do people sin with their eyes?
What does he say when he anoints the ears?
When do people sin with their ears? What does
the priest say when he anoints the nostrils ?
EXTREME UNCTION 295
What does he say when he anoints the mouth ?
When do people sin with their mouth? What
does he say when he anoints the hands ? When do
people sin with their hands? What does he say
when he anoints the feet? When do people sin
by walking ?
You know the priest gives people three Sacra-
ments when they are dying. He gives the Sacra-
ment of Penance, and the Sacrament of the Holy
Eucharist, and the Sacrament of Extreme Unc-
tion. They are called the Last Sacraments.
What does the Sacrament of Penance do for
them? What does the Sacrament of the Holy
Eucharist do for them? What does the Sacra-
ment of Extreme Unction give them ? What does
it do for them ?
Now, could you tell anybody what three Sacra-
ments the priest gives the people when they are
dying ? What are these three Sacraments called ?
What three Sacraments are called the Last Sac-
raments ? When do you call the priest to people ?
What do you do as soon as they are very sick ?
Do you know how you should prepare for the
priest when he is coming to give the Last Sacra-
ments ? I will tell you. Of course, the sick room
should be neat and tidy. Then you should have
a stand or table with a white cover on it. On the
296 RELIGION
table there should be a crucifix and a blessed
candle. Besides, there should be a glass of drink-
ing water and a teaspoon. Then there should be
some holy water.
Now, if some one were very sick at your house
what would you do? When would you call the
priest? How would you prepare for the priest?
How would you make the sick room look? How
would you cover the stand or table? What
would you have on the table ?
That is right, children. Then, when you would
see the priest coming you would light the blessed
candle. What will the priest have with him when
he comes? Why will he bring the Blessed Sacra-
ment? Why will everybody kneel down as soon
as the priest comes to the door ? Whom will you
all adore? Who is bringing our Lord into your
house ?
Why will you drop on your knees as soon as you
open the door for the priest ? Whom will you be
adoring then? Why will you stay on your knees
while the priest goes in to hear the sick person's
Confession ? When will you pray to our Lord for
the sick person ?
After the priest hears the sick person's Confes-
sion, then you go in and kneel while he is giving
Holy Communion and Extreme Unction. What
EXTREME UNCTION 297
will you do while you are kneeling there? For
whom will you pray ? What do you do when
people are dying ? When do you say the prayers
for the dying ?
Yes, children, all kneel around the bed. There
are prayers in the Prayer Book for the dying.
Say these. Say the Litanies. Say the Rosary.
Pray much for the person who is dying. All
pra^ together. One leads in prayer and the others
answer him.
Now, what do you all do when anybody is dying ?
Where do you find the prayers for the dying?
What other prayers can you say ? Do you know
what Holy Communion is called when it is given to
the dying? It is called Holy Viaticum. That
means food for the journey. The Holy Eucharist
is food for the journey to heaven. That is why
it is called the Holy Viaticum.
Now, what is Holy Communion for the dy-
ing called? When is Holy Communion called
Holy Viaticum? Sick people do not have to
fast before they receive Holy Viaticum. They
may take medicine, and food, and drink. Why do
you stay and pray with the sick person after he
has received Holy Viaticum ? Why do you thank
our Lord then ?
Now, if some one asked you what Sacrament our
298 RELIGION
Lord gave for the dying, what would you say?
Who gives Extreme Unction to sick people?
What other Sacraments does the priest give the
sick people? What are these three Sacraments
called? What three Sacraments are called the
Last Sacraments ?
How does the priest give Extreme Unction?
How does he anoint the sick person ? What does
he say while he is anointing the sick person?
When do you call the priest? How do you
prepare the sick room ? What do you get ready ?
What do you do when the priest comes ? Why
do you kneel? Whom are you adoring? What
is Holy Communion for the dying called? Why
is it called Holy Viaticum ? What is it food for ?
Who were the first priests of the Catholic
Church ? Who made the Apostles priests ? Do
you know what Sacrament our Lord gave the
Apostles when He made them priests ? It was the
Sacrament of Holy Orders. The Sacrament of
Holy Orders makes men priests.
Who said Mass after our Lord went up to
heaven? Who gave the people Holy Communion
then? Who heard people's confession then?
What Sacrament made the Apostles priests ?
Who gave the Apostles the Sacrament of Holy
Orders? What Sacrament makes men priests?
HOLY ORDERS 299
Who ordains priests now ? Whom does the bishop
ordain? What Sacrament does the bishop give
when he ordains priests ?
What does the Sacrament of Holy Orders give
priests? What Sacrament gives priests God's
grace? What Sacrament gives priests power to
say Mass? What Sacrament gives priests power
to forgive sins? In what Sacrament does the
priest forgive sins ?
Why do you honor the priest so much? Who
sent him to take care of your soul ? Who baptized
you ? Who will give you Holy Communion ?
Who will forgive your sins? Who will give you
the Last Sacraments when you are dying ? What
Sacraments will the priest give you when you are
dying ?
Why do you call the priest father ? Who takes
care of your soul like a father? Why do good
men and boys lift their hat when they meet a
priest ? Why do they respect hirn so much ? Who
teaches us what our Lord and the Apostles taught ?
In whose name does the priest teach us ? Who
teaches us in our Lord's name ?
Why does our Lord want you to respect the
priest so much ? For whom does the priest take
care of your soul ? What can you do for the
priest ? How often can you pray for him ? Who
300 RELIGION
is pleased when you pray for the priest? How
often does the priest pray for you? Who says
Mass for you every day ?
Why will you pray for the priest when he gives
you Holy Communion? Why will you pray for
the priest when he is saying Mass for you ? When
will you ask God to bless the priest every day ?
What Sacrament makes men priests? Who
ordains priests ? Whom do priests obey ? Whom
do bishops obey? Why do you obey the priest?
Who sent the priest to teach you ? What does
the priest teach? Who wants you to do what
the priest tells you? Where does the priest help
you to go when you die?
Who gave you your father and mother? Why
did God give you your father and mother ? Who
take care of you at home? How long will they
be your father and mother ?
What Sacrament did your father and mother
receive when they got married? When did they
receive the Sacrament of Matrimony ? What
did the Sacrament of Matrimony give your father
and mother? What Sacrament gave them more
of God's grace? What Sacrament helps your
father and mother love each other more than ever ?
What Sacrament helps your father and mother
take care of you ?
MATRIMONY 301
When people receive the Sacrament of Matri-
mony how long will they be married? How long
does God want them to live together ? Who wants
them to live together until they die ? When
can the wife get married again? What can she
do if her husband dies? When can the husband
get married again ? Before whom must Catholics
be married? What Church teaches them that?
Who sent the Catholic Church to teach us?
Why do they get married at Mass? What
Church tells them to do that ? Who blesses them
at Mass? What Sacrament do they receive
before they get married? Why do they receive
the Sacrament of Penance? From what must
they be free when they receive the Sacrament of
Matrimony ?
What Sacrament do they receive during Mass
when they are getting married? When do they
receive the Holy Eucharist? Now, if somebody
asked you what Sacrament people receive when
they get married, what would you say? How
long will they be married then? Why do they
have to go to the priest to get married? What
Church tells them that ?
Why do they go to Confession before they get
married? Why do they get married at Mass?
Why do they go to Holy Communion when they
302 RELIGION
get married? Whom do they receive when they
go to Holy Communion ?
Thank God, children, for all the Sacraments.
You see how God gives you His grace in the
Sacraments all your life. That is because God
loves you so much. The Sacraments show how
much God loves us.
Test Questions: 1. What is the Sacrament for the
dying? 2. Who gives Extreme Unction? 3. What Sacra-
ment makes men priests? 4. What is the Sacrament by
which people are married?
FORTIETH LESSON
Judgment
Our Lord will judge us when we die.
Our Lord will judge the whole world on the last day.
The wicked will go to hell.
Good people will go to heaven.
Now, children, we have come to the last lesson.
How happy you are to know so much about our
holy Faith !
How long will we live in this world ? How many
of us will die some day? What does our Lord
want us to do here on this earth? How do we
show that we love God ? What does it show when
we serve God? What Church tells us how to
serve God ?
Who sent the Catholic Church to teach us?
How do we know that the Catholic Church always
teaches the truth? Who keeps the truth in the
Catholic Church ?
Who are happy in this world ? Who are happy
when they are dying? Who do you think will
303
304 RELIGION
tell us whether we are good or bad when we die?
When will our Lord judge us ? Yes, when we die
our Lord will judge us. He will judge us to show
whether we are good or bad. Our Lord knows
all that we do all our life. So just as soon as we
die our Lord judges us.
Now, how many of us will die some day ? What
will our Lord do as soon as we die? Why will
our Lord judge us? What does our Lord know
about our life? Who knows every time we have
done good ? Who knows every time we have said
our prayers ? Who knows every time you obey
your parents ? Who knows every time you go to
Mass?
What will make you happy when our Lord
judges you ? How will you feel to think that you
have done good all your life ? Why will you be
glad that you believed all that the Catholic
Church teaches ?
Why will you be glad that you always went to
Mass on Sundays and Holy Days ? Why will you
be happy because you have gone to Holy Com-
munion often? Who will be very happy when
our Lord judges them? How will bad people
feel when our Lord judges them? What will
they be sorry for? For whom will it be terrible
when our Lord judges them?
JUDGMENT 305
When do we get ready so that we will be happy
when our Lord judges us? For what are we
getting ready all our life? What do we do so
that we will be ready to be judged ?
When will we all have our bodies alive again ?
Who will bring our bodies back to life ? How long
will we live after that? Just think, children,
all the people that ever lived will come back to
life on the last day. They will all have their
bodies alive again. Then, do you know what our
Lord will do? He will judge them all together.
Now, what will happen on the last day ? Who will
come back to life ? What will our Lord do then ?
Yes, our Lord will judge them all together.
The whole world will be there. Our Lord will
judge all the people that ever lived. He will
show who is good and who is bad. All the people
will see how good God is. They will all know
who is good and who is bad.
Who will be there when our Lord judges us on
the last day ? What will they all know about God ?
What will they know about everybody ? Who do
you think will be miserable on the last day ? Who
will be very much ashamed? How many people
will know how bad they are ? How will the good
people feel on the last day ? Why will they be
so happy ?
306 RELIGION
Who are the wicked? Who are those who
don't do what God wants them to do? Whose
fault is it if they are wicked ? How many people
does God help to be good?
What made the bad angels bad ? Why did they
refuse to obey God? Why do some people
refuse to serve God? Whom do proud people
often refuse to obey ?
What do you think our Lord will say to bad
people on the last day ? He will say to them :
"Leave me forever, you wicked ones, and go into
the fire of hell and stay there with the devils for-
ever." Just think how terrible that will be !
What will our Lord say to the wicked? Where
will they have to go? With whom will they
have to stay in hell ?
What will they have to suffer in hell? How
long will their bodies burn, too? How long will
they suffer in hell? What is the only thing that
can send people to hell ? What kind of sin
sends people to hell? Why do you hate mortal
sin?
What Sacrament can take away mortal sin from
the soul ? Who forgives sins in the Sacrament of
Penance? What do people have to do to have
their sins forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance?
What sins do they have to tell in Confession?
JUDGMENT 307
How must they feel about their sins ? What must
they promise ?
What kind of sin takes God's grace away from
the soul ? Where do people go if they die without
God's grace ? What Sacrament gives back God's
grace to the soul ?
What should the bad people have done before
they died? When would God have forgiven
them? Whom did God send to teach them?
What would the Catholic Church have taught
them? How could they have received God's
grace ?
How could they have received a new life for their
soul? How could they have become children of
God? What would Baptism have done for their
soul? What Sacrament would have made them
strong in faith ? When would they have received
the Holy Ghost?
What Sacrament would have made them grow
in God's grace ? What would have been the food
of their soul? What should they have done
when they were dying ? Whom should they have
called? What Sacrament would the priest have
given them? What would the Sacrament of
Penance have done for them? What would the
Holy Eucharist have done for them? What
would Extreme Unction have done for them?
308 RELIGION
How long will they have to suffer in hell? With
whom will they be in hell ?
Why did God make us ? Why does God want
us to go to heaven? What must we do to get
to heaven? Who teaches us what God wants us
to do? Who keeps the truth in the Catholic
Church ?
Why must we be baptized? What does
Baptism make us? When did you first receive
God's grace ? What is a new life for your soul ?
Why do we need God's grace? What did God's
grace do for your soul?
What Sacrament makes people strong in faith?
What Sacrament gives us the Holy Ghost ? What
Sacrament makes us grow in God's grace ? What
did God's grace do for your soul ?
What Sacrament makes people strong in faith?
What Sacrament gives us the Holy Ghost ? What
Sacrament makes us grow in God's grace ? What
is the food of our soul in the Holy Eucharist ?
How do people get God's grace back when they
fall into sin? What do they have to do when
they receive the Sacrament of Penance? To
whom do they have to tell their sins ?
What do good people do when they are dying?
What does the priest do for them? What Sacra-
ments does the priest give them? What do you
JUDGMENT 309
do for people when they are dying? Who are
happy when they are dying? To whom do we
pray for a happy death? What happens as soon
as they die? Why does our Lord judge them?
Who are happy when our Lord judges them ?
When will our Lord judge all the people in the
world together? How many people will be there
on the last day? How can people that are dead
be there? What do you think our Lord will say
to the good people on the last day? He will
say: "Come, you blessed of my Father, come
with Me to heaven ; come and be happy with Me
forever." Just think how happy we will be then,
children ! We will go with God to be happy
forever and forever.
Now, what will our Lord say to the good people
on the last day ? Where will our Lord take them ?
What will we have in heaven? With whom will
we be in heaven ?
When will we see how good and how wonderful
God is ? When will we have our bodies again ?
When will our bodies be very beautiful? When
will we always be young and healthy ? When will
we all love one another very much ? Who will
love us in heaven ? How long will we love God ?
Yes, children, heaven will be filled with great
joy and glory. We will be there with God and the
310 RELIGION
angels for all eternity. God will make us very,
very happy and we shall live in His love forever.
Test Questions: 1. Who will judge us when we die?
2. When will our Lord judge the whole world ? 3. Where
will the wicked go ? 4. Where will good people go ?
APPENDIX
Picture Study
Children love pictures ; they have a method
all their own of studying them. Their imagination
is generally at work while they are looking at
pictures, and by the magic of phantasy they
become part of them. They talk with the per-
sonages represented there and hear their imaginary
words. These childish habits must be utilized to
advantage by the teacher, especially in the teaching
of religion, where pictures play such an important
part.
It is well to establish first the fundamental ideas.
Such questions as the following help to bring out
the thought of the child : Where do pictures come
from? Do you like to draw pictures? How did
people learn to make beautiful pictures like these?
How long do you think they had to study to learn to
do such beautiful work? Who gave them power
to make such wonderful pictures? Why do you
think they chose to paint religious things?
311
312 RELIGION
Children are eager to tell why they like beautiful
pictures. They are easily introduced to the ideals
of the masters. Have them relate the thoughts
they have when looking at pictures. It suffices
for the beginning to make them realize that the
thought produced is of prime importance. To
effect this they can be asked about well-known
pictures. For instance, what do they think when
they see a picture of our Lord healing the sick,
preaching to the people, the Blessed Virgin holding
the Divine Infant in her arms. Thus, too, they
can be questioned concerning nonreligious pictures
which they may know, or pictures that hang on
the walls, pictures at home, pictures they have
seen in museums and elsewhere. The purpose
of this procedure is to engender in them elementary
appreciation of art. To induce them to recall
the thoughts called forth by pictures they have
seen is to develop in them the power to reflect
upon the beautiful, to cultivate in them a taste for
the artistic.
In dealing with the masterpieces represented in
the "First Course," three general points should
be touched upon. They should learn something
about the artist ; they should consider the beauty
of the picture, and they should discover the ideal
of the artist. All this is intended to give the
APPENDIX 313
children a love for the beautiful ; but here the
illustrations bear upon the religious truth contained
in the lessons. To consider this relation is the
prime object of picture study.
The illustrations in the text are intended to
produce thought on the part of the children. They
should furnish topics for conversation in the
corresponding lessons of the Manual. Every
detail of the pictures will have a meaning for the
little ones ; if these are mentioned during the course
of the lesson it signifies thought on their part.
Frontispiece. Christ and the Little Children.
Carlo Vogel, born in Berlin, 1816.
This picture is intended to adorn the whole
volume; it makes beautiful the little book which
contains the truths of religion. This can be
elicited from the children in response to such
questions as : Why is there such a beautiful picture
on the front page of this book? When they are
interested in the picture, have them tell you what
they find in the picture. How does it make our Lord
look? How does it make the little children look?
Why did He make them look so happy? How
would you have felt if you had been one of them ?
Which one of the children has the best place with
our Lord ? Where would you like to have been if you
314 KELIGION
had been there? How does the little one feel who
is coming with his mother ? Why is he glad, too ?
Lesson 1. God Is Our Father.
The illustration here represents a mother
caressing her child at its bedside. It is intended
to make the children reflect upon mother love.
This underlying thought can be developed so as
to embrace all the tender relations of mother and
child. By the questioning method the children
will readily tell us that God gives us our mothers,
puts love in their hearts for us. Lead them to
reflect that mothers are happy when their children
are good and obedient. Then these ideas should
be linked with the thought of the corresponding
lesson in the Manual.
Lesson 2. God Takes Care of Us.
This picture is intended to suggest to the minds
of the children the great truth that the animals
were created for our benefit. It will also suffice
to turn their thoughts to the earth and the sun of
which the lesson treats. Induce the children to
talk about the picture in their own way. The
little girl feeding the ducks and the chickens will
bring to their minds pets they may have at home.
The calf will furnish a subject for reflection on the
APPENDIX 315
growth of animals ; it will some day grow to
be a cow and will give milk from which we
make many things : butter, cheese, etc. In it all
they should be led to reflect upon God's loving
care for us.
Lesson 3. God Is the Maker of All/Things.
The picture represents the sea and the sky at
night. Here are depicted the moon and the stars
shining above the sea ; beneath are shown fishes.
These are the topics of the lesson to be discussed.
Always have them tell what they see in the picture,
then what it makes them think about. The
picture should always suggest some of their past
experiences. Then it should lead to the con-
sideration of divine Providence.
Lesson k> Christ and St. Peter. John George
Schwartz, born in Holland, 1815.
This picture represents Christ walking upon the
waters of Lake Genesareth in Palestine. The
story of this occurrence will interest the children.
One dark night the twelve Apostles were out on
the lake in a boat. As they rowed' along they
saw a figure coming toward them on the water.
They thought it was a ghost and they were
frightened. But it was our Lord. He knew
316 RELIGION
they were frightened, so He called out: "It is
I ; do not be afraid." But even then they were
not quite sure; so St. Peter called out: "If it is
You, give me power to walk to You on the water."
Our Lord then told St. Peter to come to Hirn.
St. Peter started to walk on the water ; but when
he had gone a little way he began to doubt. No
sooner did he begin to doubt than he began to
sink, and he cried out : "Save me, O Lord !" At
that moment our Lord lifted up His hand and kept
him from sinking, telling him that he should
trust more in Him. The ideas of the picture may
be applied to the subject under discussion in the
lesson.
Lesson 5. St. Peter's Church in Rome.
This picture represents St. Peter's Church in
Rome. It is the greatest church in the world.
The first church erected on this spot, which is
called the Vatican Hill, was built by the. Emperor
Constantine in the fourth century (begun 323).
This magnificent church was built about five
hundred years ago. It is 694 feet long and 90
feet wide, but with the transepts 451 feet ; it is
adorned with many beautiful paintings and statues.
St. Peter and St. Paul are buried in this church.
Their tomb is under the great altar in the center
APPENDIX 317
of the church. Many people go there every year
to pray at the tomb of these two Apostles. There
are statues of the twelve Apostles above the front
of the church. Around the court before the church
there is a great circle of immense columns. The
Pope lives in the Vatican palace beside St. Peter's.
On great occasions he says Mass in the church.
From the consideration of these details lead the
children to reflect upon the Catholic Church.
Apply the ideas from the lesson, associating them
with the picture of the great basilica as far as
possible. The building on the left is the sacristy ;
the obelisk which stands before the church is
836 feet high ; on it is a cross which contains a
relic of the true cross. This obelisk was brought
from Egypt in the first century. The Vatican
palace, not shown here, stands to the right of the
basilica. The dome of the church is the grandest
dome in the world ; its pinnacle is 400 feet high.
In the colonnade there are 248 columns, each
about six feet in diameter; on the colonnade are
162 statues of saints.
Lesson 6. Sermon on the Mount. Alexander
Bida, born in France, 1813.
This picture is intended to suggest to the chil-
dren the teaching of Christ. They have here
318 RELIGION
visualized the fact of Christ's coming from heaven
to tell us many things about God. They will
readily comment upon the details of the picture —
Christ pointing toward heaven ; the people all
attentive. The teacher might lead them to in-
quire what the sermon was about; then it might
be well to read the Sermon on the Mount to them
from St. Matt., chs. 5 and 6.
Lesson 7. Guardian Angel. Bernard Plock-
horst, born in Germany, 1825.
Have the children tell you, as always, what
they see in the picture. If necessary, ask them
questions : What are the little boy and the little girl
doing? Why do they love to gather flowers ? Where
do the beautiful flowers come from ? Why did God
give us the beautiful flowers? What danger are
these children in ? What is the angel doing ? Who
sent the angel to watch over them? Why did God
send angels to watch over us? What are these
angels called? Have them tell you about the
figures in the picture and why they like them.
Turn their attention to the clouds, the trees, the
flowers, the rock, and all the other details of
the picture. This will develop their perceptive
powers and help them to appreciate the beauty of
art.
APPENDIX 319
Lesson 8. The Christian Martyrs. J. L.
Gerome, born in France, 1824.
This is a scene in the Roman amphitheater in
which the pagans are putting the Christians to
death. The children will associate it with the
narrative on the martyrs given in the Manual.
From this they will realize better what it means
to die for the Faith. On the other hand they will
understand the malice of the diabolical temp-
tations which prompted these pagans to be so
cruel. They can be led to picture to themselves
this vast Roman arena filled with 80,000 or 100,000
spectators. The amphitheater still stands, but
partly in ruins.
Lesson 9. Heaven.
Induce the little ones to talk about the picture.
It is intended to represent the joy of children at
play ; this is the point of contact for the considera-
tion of heaven. From the happiness which they
know they are led to reflect upon the eternal joys
which God has prepared for us. Have them
recount the details of the picture and comment
upon them. The little one carrying the flowers
will interest them. Then there are the butterflies
they have seen. Have them notice the frocks of
the little ones, the pocket, the necktie, the little
320 RELIGION
hood, the curls of the little girl. Utilize all to
turn their thoughts to the love of God.
Lesson 10. Jacob's Dream. Bartolome Mu-
rillo, born in Spain, 1617.
The picture represents Jacob's dream. It is
an interesting narrative taken from the Bible
(Genesis, 28). Jacob was the son of Isaac and
Rebecca. He had obtained his brother's birth-
right by deceiving his father. Fearing his
brother's anger he fled into another country.
One night, weary from the journey, he lay down
on the ground to sleep, taking a stone for a pillow.
That night he dreamed that he saw reaching from
earth to heaven a great ladder on which many
angels were passing up and down. In his dream
God promised to bless him and his people. When
Jacob awoke he called the place Bethel, which
means house of God. Utilize the children's in-
terest in the picture to turn their minds to the
happiness of heaven. The angels, the ladder
will perhaps excite them to ask questions. Of
course angels do not need ladders — have them
recall the powers of the angels. Nor could
any ladder reach to heaven ; hence this was not
a real ladder, but the apparition in Jacob's
dream.
APPENDIX 321
Lesson 11. Revolt of Hell against Heaven.
Antoine Wiertz, born in Belgium, 1806.
This picture depicts the struggle described in
the Apocalypse (12, 7-9) : "And there was a
great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels
fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought,
and his angels, etc." It is the struggle of the good
angels with the bad angels. The children will
acquire an idea of the confusion that sin produces.
The picture will help them to realize the expulsion
of the disobedient angels from heaven.
Lesson 12. Moses Going Down from Mount
Sinai. Gustave Dore, born in France, 1833.
This picture represents Moses returning from the
mountain with the stone tablets containing the Ten
Commandments. Moses wears the usual long
beard ; above his head are depicted two rays of light
— "Moses knew not that his face was horned"
(Exodus, 34, 29). Thus these rays of light are de-
scribed. Below, the people are waiting for Moses.
The details of this picture will serve to recall much
of the corresponding lesson in the Manual.
Lesson 13. The First Commandment.
This picture is intended to turn the minds of the
children to prayer. It can be used to stimulate
devotion in them. They should be asked to tell
322 RELIGION
what the boy is doing, to whom he is talking.
The picture of the Blessed Virgin on the wall will
serve to lead them to talk on prayer to the Blessed
Virgin and the saints. They should be induced to
comment on the manner of holding his hands.
They can thus be led to reflect upon proper pos-
tures for prayer.
Lesson 1J/,. Christ Disputing with the Doctors.
Henry Hofmann, born in Germany, 1824.
It represents the boy Jesus in the Temple dis-
puting with the doctors of the law (St. Luke,
2, 42-52). Tell the story to the children when
they have studied the details of the picture.
Some parts of the story may need explanation.
"They came a day's journey" and then sought
Him. It is explained by some writers that, in
those journeys, the children of the party walked
together; this would explain, perhaps, why the
Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph did not miss the
blessed boy all day. The "doctors" were men
versed in the law ; it was customary for the people
to ask them questions about the law. Hence it
was not strange when the blessed boy came to
talk with them. However, it was divine in-
spiration that impelled Him to go there as He
did; His answer indicates this: "Did you not
APPENDIX 323
know I must be about my Father's business?"
He was obedient to the will of God the Father
both in what He did and in the manner of doing
it. From the consideration of this picture it
will be easy to lead the children to reflect upon the
Christ Child obedient to His blessed Mother and
St. Joseph at Nazareth.
Lesson 15. The Third Commandment.
This picture will help the children to recall the
whole teaching of the lesson. As they point out
the details of the picture they will think about
the ideas that have been proposed to them. The
church is the house of God. There they go on
Sundays and Holy Days to Mass. The boy
carries his prayer book in his hand. The children
look happy — good children are happy. Have
them tell what thoughts the picture suggests to
them. They will have little experiences to relate ;
perhaps some of them have been to a little country
church. They may compare this little church
with a large city church. They may be asked
what those children will do when they enter the
church — genuflect, kneel, the boys take off their
hats, some of them go to Holy Communion,
noting that perhaps the little girl has not yet
made her First Communion.
324 RELIGION
Lesson 16. The Fourth Commandment. H.
Sinkel.
To what is the child pointing ? Why is he point-
ing to IV? Why should children think most of
the Fourth Commandment? For whom was the
Fourth Commandment given? The picture will
suggest each question.
Lesson 17. Good Samaritan. K. Siemenroth.
It represents the good Samaritan taking care
of the man who had been wounded by robbers
(St. Luke, 10, 30-37). In the left background
is shown the Jewish priest who "passed by."
The children will be touched by the pitiful con-
dition of the wounded man. They will tell about
cases of wounded people that have come within
their experience. After considering the picture
they should be filled with admiration for the good
Samaritan and with a desire to emulate his charity.
The teacher should have this in mind when telling
the story and eliciting comment on the picture.
Lesson 18. Samuel. Joshua Reynolds, born
in England, 1723.
It represents the boy Samuel praying in the
Temple. Anna, the mother of Samuel, had,
before his birth, promised to give him to the service
APPENDIX 325
of God (1 Kings, 1, 2, 3). When he was yet a mere
child she took him to the Temple and gave him
over to the priest Heli, who was then an old man.
One night the boy was awakened from sleep by
the calling of his name. He answered quickly :
"Here am I" and hurried to Heli to ask what he
wished ; but the old man said he had not called
him. He went back again to sleep and again he
heard "Samuel, Samuel" called. This happened
a third time also ; each time he went to Heli and
asked what he wanted. Then Heli, knowing that
it was God who called the boy, told him that if
he were called again, to say: "Speak, Lord; for
thy servant heareth." This he did when he was
called the fourth time. Then God spoke to him
and told him that He would make him His priest.
God chose Samuel because he was pure and good.
Lesson 19. The Seventh Commandment.
This picture represents a poor mother with her
two children. The boy is bringing a basket of
provisions to them. There are here details which
will interest the children. Perhaps the little girl
has no shoes to wear. This may be drawn from
them by inducing them to tell what they note
about the little girl — they will see the patch on
her dress. Perhaps the baby is sick. The poor
326 RELIGION
woman tries to be happy ; see the little potted
flower ; see the contented look on her face. Per-
haps her husband is dead ; then these are two
little orphans. Thoughts like these can be en-
gendered in the minds of the children by inducing
them to tell you what they think about the persons
represented here. Ask them : What is the boy
thinking about ? Why is he helping the poor woman
and her children? Where did he get the things he
is bringing? Why do you think he is happy?
Lesson 20. Christ Before Pilate. Mihaly Mun-
kacsy (Michael Lieb), born in Hungary, 1844.
Here Christ is represented as standing before
the Roman governor, Pilate, while the Scribes
and Pharisees are accusing Him falsely (St. Matt.,
27; St. Mark, 15; St. Luke, 23). The children
will talk much about this picture.
Lesson 21. The Tenth Commandment.
This picture is intended to represent content-
ment. The two children are playing happily
before the little cabin heedless of the beautiful
residence that stands in the background. Lead
the children to talk about the things that con-
tribute to true joy and happiness. Have them
talk about the boy's patched clothes, the little
APPENDIX 327
one playing with the kitten, and all the details of
the picture.
Lesson 22. St. Michael and the Devil. Guido
Reni, born in Italy, 1575.
It represents the Archangel Michael conquering
the devil. By proper direction of their thought the
children will arrive at the consideration of the con-
trast between the archangel and the devil. They
will realize that it was sin that transformed the
angels into devils. This can be applied to the teach-
ing of the lesson : mortal sin sends people to hell.
Lesson 23. Adam and Eve Driven from Eden.
Gustave Dore, born in France, 1833.
It represents Adam and Eve being driven from
the Garden of Eden after they fell into sin. The
children should be led to comment upon what
Adam and Eve must have felt on this occasion.
It might be well to read for the children the third
chapter of Genesis in which are related the fall
of Adam and Eve and their banishment from
Eden. Lead the children to think upon that time.
Lesson 24- The Adoration of the Shepherds.
Henry Le Rolle, born in France, 1851.
Here we see the Blessed Mother holding her
Divine Infant in her arms ; St. Joseph is near by.
328 RELIGION
They are in the stable ; an ass stands there. The
poor shepherds have come to adore our newborn
Saviour. The children will tell what they would
have done had they been there.
Lesson 25. Madonna and Child. Francesco
Correggio, born in Italy, 1650.
The great painters used to paint the picture of
the Blessed Virgin with the Divine Infant more
than any other subject. This is one of the most
beautiful Madonnas. The picture will suggest
many thoughts from the lesson to the children :
how the Blessed Mother sang for Him to put
Him to sleep ; how she bathed Him and fed Him
and cared for Him when He was a little baby.
Lesson 26. Christ on Calvary. Mihaly
Munkacsy (Michael Lieb), born in Hungary, 1844.
This picture is a vivid representation of the
Crucifixion. It is filled with action. The chil-
dren should be led to point out the Blessed Virgin
kneeling at the foot of the cross, St. John standing
at the right, the soldier, the good thief. They
should be made familiar with the Gospel narration
of the Crucifixion (St. Matt., 27 ; St. Mark, 15 ;
St. Luke, 23). The picture should then serve
to recall these facts to them ; it should bring to
APPENDIX 329
their minds the ideas they have formed from the
lesson.
Lesson 27. Purgatory.
Here two children are represented at the grave
of their parents : the boy is praying, the girl has
brought flowers. This scene will serve to remind
the children of our duty to pray for the dead ;
to show love for our parents even after they are
dead. When the question is proposed to them,
they will decide that it is better to pray for the
dead than to bring flowers ; that, however, it
shows love also to place flowers on the grave.
While they are studying this picture they may also
review the teaching on death — the body alone
dies ; it is a going home to our heavenly Father.
We pray especially to St. Joseph for a happy
death.
Lesson 28. Easter Morning. Henry Hofmann,
born in Germany, 1824.
This picture by Hofmann represents Christ
risen with Mary Magdalen crying beside the
tomb. Mary Magdalen had come there early
on the third day. When she found the tomb
empty she thought that they had taken our
Lord's body away. When she saw Christ coming
330 RELIGION
she thought He was the gardener and asked
Him where they had taken Christ ; but when our
Lord spoke she recognized Him. Two other
holy women were there also and they went to tell
the Apostles what had happened (St. Matt., 28 ;
St. Mark, 16; St. Luke, 24). The tomb was
hewn in the solid rock ; a great stone had enclosed
it. This can be shown in the picture. Magdalen
sits on the stone. The story of Magdalen may
also be told (St. Matt., 26, 6-13; St. Luke, 7,
37-48).
Lesson 29. The Coming of the Holy Ghost.
This picture represents the dove, the symbol of
the Holy Ghost. At Christ's baptism, the Holy
Ghost appeared in the form of a dove. At the
same time God the Father said: "This is my
beloved son in whom I am well pleased" (St.
Matt., 3, 16-17). Utilize the picture to turn the
thoughts of the children to the matter of the lesson.
Lesson 30. Christ Giving the Keys to Peter.
Perugino, born in Italy, 1446.
This picture depicts the scene described in the
Gospel (St. Matt., 16, 13-20), when Christ asked
the Apostles what they thought of Him. It should
impel the children to talk about our Lord and the
APPENDIX 331
Apostles. They should become interested in the
Apostles ; they should understand that the key is
the symbol of power and authority.
Lesson 31. The Seven Sacraments. Rogier
Van Der Weyden, born in Belgium, 1400.
This picture is intended to associate the Sacra-
ments with the Church. It illustrates the ad-
ministration of all the Sacraments.
Lesson 32. Baptism of St. Francis. De
Rohden.
This representation of Baptism may be used to
make the children reflect upon their own Baptism.
The ideas which they learn in the lesson are here
depicted.
Lesson 33. The Descent of the Holy Ghost.
Luca Signorelli, born in Italy, 1441.
It represents the descent of the Holy Ghost
upon the Apostles. The picture will suggest much
of the lesson-content. The narrative might be
read from Acts 1, 12 and 2, 1-4.
Lesson 34.. Last Supper. Leonardo Da Vinci,
born in Italy, 1452.
It can be easily applied to the teaching of the
lesson. The details are familiar.
332 RELIGION
Lesson 35. The Mass.
This picture can be treated somewhat similar to
that which accompanies Lesson 15.
Lesson 36. Christ and His Disciples at Emmaus.
Carl Miiller, born in Germany, 1834.
The narrative of Christ and the two disciples
might be read to the children (St. Luke, 24,
13-36). On this occasion, after His resurrection,
Christ again changed bread and wine into His
body and blood; it is called the "breaking of
bread." The ideas of the picture will readily
harmonize with the teaching of the lesson.
Lesson 37. Holy Communion.
This picture represents a First Communion
scene in France. The children will note the
foreign aspect of dress and surroundings ; yet
they will feel that First Communion in foreign
lands has the same significance as here. This
thought should be developed. They might be
led to imagine First Communion in many lands.
Lesson 38. Jesus in Gethsemane. Henry Hof-
mann, born in Germany, 1824.
The narrative of our Blessed Lord's prayer and
bloody sweat in the garden of Gethsemane is
APPENDIX 333
graphically given in the Gospel (St. Matt., 2t>,
36 ff.). Christ's sadness should be presented to
the children as sorrow for the sins of the world.
It is an example to teach us to be sorry for our sins.
Lesson 39. Christ Healing a Child. Gabriel
Max, born in Germany, 1840.
This picture can be used to impress upon the
children the three Sacraments under discussion.
Christ represents Holy Orders ; the mother,
Matrimony ; and the illness of the child, Extreme
Unction.
Lesson 4-0. Last Judgment. Michael Angelo,
born in Italy, 1475.
This picture of the Last Judgment is painted
above the altar on the wall of the Sistine Chapel
in the Vatican.
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